The Andromeda Rewrites
by Queen-Kass-the-Writer
Summary: Esme Ryder, the Pathfinder, goes to Kadara to meet with a Resistance contact and is introduced to Reyes Vidal, a charming smuggler and trouble. To Reyes, Esme lives up to her reputation as no-nonsense and wisecracking. Both are intrigued. These two flirt like no tomorrow but feelings grow between them that neither wants to stop. *M for eventual sexual content and some violence*
1. The Meeting and the Jailbreak

Stepping down the ramp of the Tempest onto the dock of Kadara Port, Esme Ryder readied herself for a potentially hostile environment as she headed for a bar known as Kralla's Song. She had a meeting planned with a contact from the Angaran Resistance, known by the name Shena, who could inform her about Vehn Terev. Esme knew that in order for the Andromeda Initiative to succeed, they would need alliances and that Angaran people were the best starting point. Therefore, Esme would curry favor with them by lending her time, and her latest mission was centered around Vehn Terev.

They docked on Kadara late last night and spent the night on the Tempest, but Esme planned to head out early in the morning. The moment the first rays broke through the darkness, Esme stirred with an alarm from SAM and prepared for her meeting. This was their first excursion to Kadara and Esme heard plenty about it from those on the Nexus, who had never been to the planet. Esme marched through the port and she shut down any whispers or stares with her fierce resting glower and powerful stride. With SAM holding the coordinates of Kralla's Song, Esme was able to easily find the bar and slip inside. The bar was quiet and winding down from the peak hours during early in the morning. There still seemed to be patrons, heavily drunk and still going strong alike, milling about. Esme sidled up to the bar and that's where she decided to wait for Shena.

"Hey!" The bartender, an Asari woman, hollered at an armored krogan who edged away from the bar and Esme assumed there was a payment dispute brewing between the two. She faced away from the two arguing aliens but opted to sneak glances in her peripheral vision while she mainly focused on the door. She arrived earlier than the established meeting time for a reason.

"Piss off." The krogan waved the bartender off dismissively, but she wouldn't let him leave without paying. No one skimped her of credits in her bar.

"You order, you pay." The bartender insisted, looking the pirate dead in the eye as she waited for him to cough up the credits he owed for his tab. The pirate snarled at her before turning around and stepping closer to intimidate her.

"I said-" The krogan growled but the bartender embedded a knife straight into the bar counter with a menacing glare directed at the krogan. He grumbled, forking over the credits owed before ditching the bar. Esme glanced back down at her feet and wondered if all of Kadara was this seedy. She heard rumors about its reputation as a hub of criminals, exiles, and other particularly unsavory folks. Esme wanted to make that decision on her own without the whispers of those living on the Nexus, especially the leadership, clouding her judgment. She adjusted her ponytail a little tighter on her head and blew away a stray brunette strand of hair out of her eyes. Turning her head toward the entrance of the bar, Esme instantly noticed a man approaching the bar with his eyes set on her. She observed his tanned skin, handsome features, and dark hair but it was his eyes that captivated her attention, an amber color that reminded Esme of honey from her distant Milky Way life. Those eyes that studied her from afar and anchored onto her as he approached the bar, a foot or two away from her.

"You like you're waiting for someone." The stranger remarked to Esme while leaning against the bar comfortably, signaling the bartender for a drink with a nod of his head. The bartender rushed over with two drinks and slammed them down in front of him. The stranger seemed unfazed by the aggressive response and picked both drinks up. He turned and offered one to Esme, wordlessly. Esme's eyes flickered down to the drink and she managed a small smirk.

"I've got time for a drink." Esme accepted as she curled her fingers around the glass to where they brushed across the stranger's. The stranger nodded at her with respect and watched Esme grasp the cup of liquor. Esme and the stranger clinked their glasses together in a silent cheer before downing their beverages easily. Esme gulped down the contents of her glass, a sweet-tasting liquor she believed to be some type of rum, and pulled the glass away from her lips. The stranger slammed his down on the counter as he finished.

"Shena, but you can call me Reyes." The stranger introduced himself and offered his hand to Esme for a handshake. Esme blinked for a second in astonishment before she clasped his hand with hers in a firm grip. Esme was hardly expecting another human… a handsome human man to be her contact for the Angaran resistance. Reyes managed a slight grin at Esme's unhidden surprise; she wouldn't be the first to not guess he was a human instead of an Angaran. "I hate codenames."

"I was expecting someone more… Angaran." Esme replied, finally taking in his accent for the first time. She glanced off to the side when she overheard him chuckle, causing a slight shiver. Esme thought about introducing herself and wondered if that was redundant since he probably knew who she was. Reyes approached her in the bar after all.

"The Resistance pays me to supply information—among other things." Reyes remarked and Esme caught on to his alluded message, smuggled into the subtext of his words. Every organization needed their members with certain specialties after all.

"So, you're a smuggler?" Esme inquired with an arched brow and she glanced at Reyes in a new light. Reyes didn't answer Esme, but rather he tilted his head toward the railing a few feet away. Esme understood his unspoken request and stepped back from the bar with him, the two of them veering over railing with the Kadaran view. Esme stared out at the sunrise and skyline with a softness in her eyes that Reyes spotted before it vanished. Reyes leaned against the railing and Esme did the same.

"Your man, Vehn Terev, was arrested by Sloane Kelly, leader of the Outcasts. Word spread about what he did to Moshae Sjefa. The people are calling for his execution and Sloane… she's a woman of the people." Reyes explained… and was that sarcasm Esme detected in his voice? Esme huffed at the morally righteous attitude she's heard about Sloane. That woman was only invested in one thing—power.

"Dress it up however you want. She's a criminal." Esme retorted, not sure where Reyes stood on the issue since he seemed to be a neutral third-party with monetary ties to the Resistance rather than complete investment in their mission. Esme figured that plenty of people across the galaxy were disillusioned by the promises of various organizations busy vying for power in the new frontier priested in the expansion of Andromeda.

"You work for the Initiative. Sloane was part of the uprising on the Nexus. I doubt she'll give Vehn up easily." Reyes stated, knowing for a fact that Sloane was extremely stubborn and would most likely not budge on the issue of Vehn Terev. Esme stared into his amber eyes with momentary distraction at how bright the color was, reminding her of golden honey once again. Esme shook her head; she wouldn't take no for an answer with Sloane.

"I'm taking him—with or without her permission." Esme declared unabashedly, all while staring out at the view. Her eyes narrowed; that information she needed was far more important than whatever statement Sloane planned to make and capitalize on from Vehn's execution. A husky chuckle escaped Reyes and that drew Esme's attention back to him, still standing beside her and admiring her features discreetly. Of all the rumors he heard about the Pathfinder, none accurately portrayed how beautiful she was.

"We're going to be friends, you and I." Reyes declared between another chuckle at Esme's fierce determination; it was quite admirable. However, Reyes knew Sloane would not give Vehn up, especially with her connections to the Initiative. That's why he was there to help. "There might be another way to get to Vehn. You work Sloane. I'll talk to the Resistance." Reyes propped himself against the railing with his elbow to face Esme before walking toward the front door of Kralla's Song. Esme blinked for a second, realizing that Reyes was walking away without some key information… like what to do if Sloane refused to budge on releasing Vehn. Turning on her heel, Esme watched Reyes sauntering away.

"How do I contact you if things go south?" Esme questioned, making Reyes stop. He glanced back over to Esme with a smirk on his lips before he winked at her. Reyes turned toward the door and strode away with confidence, leaving behind a startled Esme. Did Reyes just wink at her? Biting down on her lip to keep back a smile, Esme started walking away when she heard the bartender bark at her.

"Hey! You got to pay!" The bartender demanded and Esme glanced over at her, pulling out her omni-tool to transfer some credits for the drinks Reyes ordered. Esme shrugged, not heavily fazed by the loss of credits.

"Keep the change," Esme remarked as she strolled away, missing the look that the bartender wore from her comment.

"Always do." The bartender murmured and she cleaned up the spot where Esme and Reyes were. Esme moved past patrons of Kralla's Song nimbly and stepped out of the darkness of the bar and into the marketplace. She squinted her eyes for a second to adjust to the brightness from the sun rising in the sky and sighed, knowing she should find Sloane. As Esme pushed her hand away from her face and walked through the market place, she swore she heard someone calling her name but shrugged it off the first couple times. After the third time, Esme glanced around when she clearly heard it.

"Pathfinder, there you are!" Esme halted when she heard the voice of Lt. Cora Harper, her second in command and her father's former second as well when he was Pathfinder. Esme spotted Cora walking up to her with Liam, another member of their crew, in tow. Both were in casual attire while Esme kept one of her pistols on her for protection, tucked away in her jacket.

"Cora! Liam! I didn't know you guys were in Kadara… I kind of thought you were still sleeping on the Tempest." Esme declared, unsure of what they were doing in the marketplace. When they docked, Esme allowed her crew to roam as they pleased so long as they kept their comms open for instances of emergency or notification of when they planned to depart. Upon docking in Kadara, Esme offered the option to the crew but Cora seemed noticeably uninterested in mingling with those on Kadara and Liam claimed he was preoccupied with an assignment. So, Esme didn't expect to see them while dealing with business. She certainly didn't expect them out and about at this hour.

"Nah, we came down to explore." Liam explained when he noticed how Esme's face, normally peachy, was a bright red around the cheeks. He started to reach out to feel for a fever but stopped himself from doing so with Cora there. Lately, he felt quite odd around Esme and hadn't figured out what changed between the two. Maybe it was because she walked on him and Jaal, working on the Tempest shirtless. Whatever it was, he felt a dynamic shift between him and Esme. "Uh, Ryder? Your face is a little red. You good?"

"Oh yeah! Perfectly fine!" Esme coughed, noticing that her voice jumped an octave. She thought about Reyes' shooting her that damn wink as he sauntered away. She hardly realized that the flirtatious personality of Reyes made her fluster. It had been a while since she encountered such flirting since most people were concerned about determining viable planets. Esme ignored her accelerated heartbeat and focused back on topic at hand, "The inside of Kralla's Song was a little warm. Anyways, I meant with the contact from the Angaran Resistance, Shena. His name is actually Reyes. He is reaching out to his Resistance contacts for some assistance while I have the unfortunate honor of negotiating with Sloane Kelly for Vehn Terev's release to the Resistance."

"Sloane Kelly? As in the leader of the Exiles and the architect behind the uprising on the Nexus, Sloane Kelly?" Liam questioned in shock and wide eyes. He knew that he should be asking about the meeting with this Reyes character, but he was more stuck on the fact that Esme planned to stare down Sloane Kelly. Sloane was reviled by the Nexus leadership and a decent faction of those on the Nexus and Esme was the Initiative's new poster child, which only spelled out a disaster of a negotiation.

"The same." Esme confirmed with a grimace and she fidgeted with her omni-tool to make sure she had the coordinates at the ready. She glanced up to the concerned faces of Liam and Cora at the thought of a negotiation with Sloane, who was ruthless and possibly unpredictable. "I know where she is and I plan to argue for Vehn's transfer into our custody. It's a long shot but one worth attempting." Esme remarked and Cora clapped her on the shoulder.

"You need back up?" Cora questioned, seemingly ready to arm herself and march down with Esme to Sloane. Esme shook her head, knowing she could handle it.

"No, I've got it. I'll meet you back on the ship." Esme reassured them before she sharply turned on her heel and continued toward the Outcasts HQ, where Sloane would most likely be. She arrived outside an unassuming building but SAM chimed in affirmation that she was in the right place. Esme was ready to meet Sloane. Stepping through the open doors, Esme moved down and through the halls until she reached a doorway with two, armed krogan guards protecting it. That, she assumed, was where Sloane was. Esme walked straight up to the door, which caught the guards' attention.

"Keep moving!" One of the guards raised his weapon at Esme to make her nervous and leave, but she planted in her spot and quirked her brow. Leveling a gun at her was the least terrifying thing she's encountered in a long while. When the krogans realized Esme would not leave, they surged forward to escort her to Sloane. They opened the door to Sloane's chamber with one guard leading the way and another flanking the end, leaving Esme stuck in the middle of them. She felt the muzzle of the guard's rifle press into her back, against her spine, and managed to keep her cool. She was less composed when the guard behind her gave her a shove, even though she wasn't dragging her feet. Esme glared at him and growled under her breath. She could easily disarm that guard within seconds and blow out both his knee caps before he or anyone else realized what she had done. The last thing she needed was a shoot-out in the lion's den Esme walked herself into, but man was it tempting to tell the guard to shove it. Instead, Esme fixated ahead on the woman she assumed was Sloane Kelly, leaning back in a chair that looked more like a throne and making adjustments to the holographic data screen resting in front of her. From where Esme stood, the images appeared to be a map of some kind.

"Focus defenses here and here. The kett have been quiet for too long." Sloane instructed and the armed turian next to her nodded, seemingly her second in command. Sloane waved the screen away with a flick of her wrist and noticed the addition of Esme's presence to the room. She heard that the human Pathfinder arrived in Kadara Port the night before and Sloane wondered what she could possibly have the gall to want from her. Just to stick it to the Initiative, Sloane should consider putting a bullet in the Pathfinder. She leaned forward to study Esme with her brown and blue eyes. She sneered at Esme's unimpressed demeanor, "What?"

"That's a quite the throne. Should I bow? Kiss your ring?" Esme inquired smugly and she gradually allowed a smirk to rise up on her lips. She came to the conclusion that Sloane was a woman with some narcissistic tendencies and a power-hungry personality, which she would use against her. Sloane's face contorting in rage demonstrated that Esme's plan to win was already working.

"Very funny." Sloane snipped at Esme before regaining her composure. People avoided angering her for her temper, but the Pathfinder didn't flinch. In fact, Esme goaded her for a reaction and Sloane needed to keep Esme from getting under her skin. She was in control here, not Esme. Sloane leaned back in her seat. "So, what brings a Pathfinder to our humble port?"

"Vehn Terev. Name ring any bells?" Esme questioned and Sloane shifted in her seat. What did the Initiative want with Vehn Terev, awaiting his execution.

"What's he to you? And don't lie to me." Sloane demanded with a sharp glare directed at Esme. Crossing her arms over her chest, Esme resisted the urge to laugh at Sloane attempting to intimidate her. If Esme wanted, Sloane would have no idea of when she was lying to her and there would be nothing she could do about it. But she would give Sloane a little something.

"I need him so I can infiltrate a kett flagship. You've obviously got no love for the kett. I'm doing you a favor." Esme disclosed and she studied Sloane's expression harden momentarily before returning to her previous expression. Esme knew that Sloane could see that she held bargaining power and that Esme wouldn't grovel for Sloane's help; she wasn't the groveling type.

"Kadara is an Angaran port. They want Vehn dead and I want to keep them happy." Sloane replied sternly and Esme barely kept herself from rolling her eyes. Sloane was not the type for diplomacy as her track record showed more of the 'my way or the highway mentality' when she confronted anyone who dared challenge her. Sloane's real worry was the Collective gaining enough traction to usurp her from her position of power, so she needed the support of the locals to keep an insurgency at bay.

"This is bigger than local politics." Esme pointed out and called Sloane out for exactly what she was doing this for. Sloane growled at Esme, who stared her down without flinching.

"You don't need Vehn—you need his intel. Talk to him before I put his head on a spike." Sloane agreed, which was far more lenient than she initially assumed she would assent to. Esme scowled at Sloane, who seemed desperate for the execution more than the serving of justice. You know, it would be such a shame if Vehn somehow escaped, Esme thought to herself.

"Vehn should be judged by the Resistance—not you." Esme declared finally and that seemed to snap whatever of Sloane's temper she still held back. She glared at Esme and her fists curled up for a second before she remembered that she was in charge here. Esme nearly grinned; she got under Sloane's skin.

"I don't have time for a morality debate. Dismissed." Sloane droned on in a mocking fashion and waved Esme off like she was her boss. Esme didn't answer to Sloane and she would be sure to learn that from this point on.

"Your Highness," Esme declared as she gave Sloane a mocking bow. The glimmer in her eyes told Sloane that she better watch her back, but Sloane missed the warning as she fumed over the shit-eating grin Esme wore on her ruby red lips. Turning on her heel without another word, Esme sauntered from the room and out of the Outcasts HQ without needing an escort out. Stepping back into the market, Esme walked past another bar when she saw Reyes. She approached him and hoped he got in contact with his Resistance contacts, knowing she could use a little something to free Vehn Terev and piss off Sloane.

"Have a nice chat?" Reyes inquired with his arms crossed over his chest, his amber eyes twinkling in mischievous amusement. He already had a good idea of how the interaction went with Sloane as he was no stranger to her abrasive personality. Sloane ruled Kadara with an iron fist but Esme seemed like the kind of woman, to Reyes, who could throw Sloane off-balance and keep her on her toes.

"I think she likes me." Esme remarked cheekily, replaying how she messed with Sloane at every turn. Reyes knew the subtext of her words and nodded, he expected as much. Sloane would rather eat her beloved pistol than cow down to someone else's demands or admit her wrongdoings.

"Don't worry, I found a workaround." Reyes chuckled, not expecting the Pathfinder to be such a lively personality with a snarky attitude sharp enough to cut. Reyes quite liked that. Esme joined in his bemusement with a smile of her own.

"Let me guess, it comes with strings attached?" Esme guessed, fully expecting Reyes to present more demands or hoops for Esme to leap through on behalf of the Resistance. However, Reyes shook his head.

"Not any new ones. Remember, Evfra wants Vehn alive, so when you get inside, give him this." Reyes stepped closer to Esme to obscure the view of her while he pressed something into Esme's hands. He missed the slight hitch of Esme's breath as he stepped back. Esme glanced down to see a small mechanical device in her hands. She had no clue what it would do and she decided plausible deniability seemed like a smart contingency plan, but curiosity trumped all else. Esme glanced up to Reyes, silently inquiring as to what purpose the object in her hands served. "That'll eat through whatever Sloane's holding him with and it can't be traced back to us. A resistance agent will be waiting to pick Vehn up."

"What if he makes a run for it?" Esme inquired, wanting to be prepared for the success of her information gathering and the Resistance's regaining Vehn Terev for a proper trial and judgment, unlike Sloane's interpretation of justice by ramming his decapitated head on a spike.

"It's covered. You just focus on… whatever it is you need from Vehn. There's a maintenance shaft around the corner. Sending the access code to your omni-tool. That'll get you inside. You should be able to handle the rest." Reyes suavely input the coordinates Esme needed to find Vehn Terev and hopefully assist him in escaping from jail. He glanced back up to see Esme's raised brow and knowing smirk.

"There's still the matter of the bill you left me with." Esme remarked, reminding him of how he left the bar and her with the payment for the drinks he ordered.

"I'm usually the model gentleman." Reyes proclaimed, pressing his hand to his chest dramatically and seemingly in disbelief. However, Esme didn't believe that for a second.

"Oh? I don't believe you." Esme remarked while placing her hands on her hips. Only knowing him for him for less than an hour, Esme could already tell that Reyes was trouble but the kind she could never stay away from. Besides, he was helping her and the Initiative underneath Sloane's nose when she would make his life miserable if she knew.

"…because I'm lying." Reyes instantly and casually replied, causing Esme to nearly snort. Reyes caught Esme's bemusement and he nodded, "When you're done, come to Tartarus. First round's on me, I promise." Reyes assured Esme and before she could accept his offer, Reyes walked off. Esme nodded with a breath, seeing that Reyes might be the type who liked to be chased. Little did he know that Esme could keep up with the chase. Cracking her neck, Esme moved out of the bar and slipped around the corner to find the maintenance shaft Reyes informed her about, right where he said it would be. Using SAM's capabilities, Esme ducked down into the shaft and walked through the tunnels until she came upon a cell where an Angaran, who she assumed was Vehn Terev, sat with his head down.

"What do you want?" Vehn questioned like he wasn't the one stuck behind the bars of a jail cell and awaiting his execution, which grated on Esme's nerves.

"The Archon's ship. Where is it?" Esme questioned and her voice, sharp and commanding, made Vehn survey her from his seated position a little longer. He had no clue who she was but Vehn had no plans to answer to one of Sloane's lackeys.

"This a new interrogation tactic? Sloane's getting lazy." Vehn mused uninterestedly and glanced back down at his lap. Esme scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest at his dismissal of her.

"I'm not with Sloane. Evfra sent me. Answer my questions and I can get you back to the Resistance." Esme promisingly offered and Vehn considered her words for a second, thinking about the implications. He shook his head and glanced at the wall of his cell.

"So, I'm trading on cell for another?" Vehn questioned and Esme really didn't want to play the pity game with the traitor.

"This is what happens when you make deals with the bad guy." Esme responded firmly but she edged closer to the bars, knowing what might get through to Vehn to give her the information. "Or stay here. Sloane's sharpening up a spike just for your head."

"I'd rather be miserable than kaekyn food." Vehn sighed, realizing that Esme had a point. Glad that Vehn seemed open to cooperating with her now, stalked a little closer to the bars and she would capitalize on his newfound alignment to her side.

"-Which brings us back to the Archon's ship. Where is it?" Esme demanded an answer and Vehn rose from his seat and turned to Esme. She was his ticket out of here and he needed to comply to earn his freedom back to the Resistance.

"I never saw it. Got my orders from a kett transponder. But you could use its frequency to triangulate the Archon's location." Vehn revealed and speculated, which made Esme quite pleased. That fact helped her and her crew track down the Archon much easier than a simple description of where it last was.

"Do you still have it?" Esme questioned, hoping she wouldn't have to sneak around the Outcasts' HQ in search of the transponder. She knew she would likely encounter a gunfight or two, and she would like to avoid those until she had her companions along.

"I buried it before I was arrested. Should still be outside the city." Vehn admitted and Esme, after glancing around for prying eyes, pressed the device into Vehn's hands. She hoped he knew how to use it because she certainly didn't. She assumed it was Angaran tech.

"This is your way out of here. A Resistance contact will be waiting." Esme informed before she started to walk down the way she came, her business with Vehn complete. She could now head back to the Resistance with more leverage to accomplish their mutual goals of fighting the kett. As she walked away, she heard the rattle of the cell door and Vehn's voice call out to her.

"Don't you want to know why I did it? Why I betrayed the Moshae?" Vehn called out and Esme stopped in her spot. She bit down on her lip and a small part of her did wonder why he did such a thing to betray his people. Esme could hardly see how anyone would rationalize working with the kett after all the dehumanizing things the kett have done, especially to the Angara.

"Enlighten me." Esme remarked as she turned around and Vehn found himself faced with the fiery eyes of the Pathfinder, who seemed quite eager to hear what motivated him to betray his people in such a manner as handing over one of their most beloved figures to a group of hostile aliens to experiment on and turn them into the monstrous kett.

"We're losing the war against the kett. And still, Evfra puts my brothers and sisters in danger to protect a useless old woman." Vehn explained but Esme cut him off with a raise of her hand and narrowing of her eyes.

"So, you took things into your own hands." Esme snarled and she would describe the action of Vehn as cowardice rather than any form of bravery. Giving the Moshae up to be experimented on was not his call to make, ever.

"I made the call he wouldn't. The Archon only wanted the Moshae. I thought if I gave her up…I didn't know what the kett were doing to my people. I did what I thought was right and I'll accept the consequences." Vehn defended himself and Esme could not believe he still considered himself to not be completely guilty because of his personal opinion that Evfra should cave in not being heeded. Esme shook her head as she walked away, silently conflicted. She knew the Resistance would handle Vehn and that she was ruining Sloane's sadistic pleasure in mounting another head on a pike as her favorite fear tactic. Those were the bright side to this whole situation.

Walking out of the maintenance shaft for the second time, Esme emerged with a knowing smirk knowing that she threw a wrench into Sloane's plans. Esme reveled in the satisfaction and flicked her ponytail over her shoulder with a snap of her head as she moved through the market back toward her ship. Her sharp eyes scanned cross the market and caught sight of Reyes leaning against a stall, spotting his face from the shadows. Reyes grinned when he spotted Esme's look of triumph glowing in her eyes like the reignited embers of a fire. He found himself quite intrigued by Esme. Esme watched as Reyes send a wink her way and disappeared into the shadows of the Kadaran market, making her cheeks flush. All Esme knew is that she would be collecting on that promise for drinks soon enough.


	2. The Great Escape

The Nomad rolled up to a small building nestled in the badlands of Kadara and parked, allowing for Esme and her companions, Liam and Cora, to hop out alongside her. Keen eyes darted around for any signs of prying eyes or danger in the vicinity while Esme stealthily vaulted onto the stairs and headed for the doorway. Using her omni-tool, Esme patched a call through to Reyes and waited for him to pick up on the other end.

"Reyes, I'm at the crime scene." Esme revealed when she heard his voice on the other line and tapped into SAM's override protocols to pry open the door. The automatic door opened with a creak and revealed a mostly neat crime scene.

"Great. I've got intel on our dead guy. Krogan male went by the name of Zear. His frontal plate was pried off before he was shot to death." Reyes supplied and Esme assumed the body was deeper in the compound since she didn't see it.

"Poor bastard," Esme sighed, grimacing at the thought. Whoever murdered Zear intended to make him suffer by prying off the frontal plate and that type of sadistic detachment made Esme much more eager to get them off the street before they discovered another body.

"They were making a point. Not someone you want just walking around." Liam interjected himself into the conversation that seemingly was between Esme and Reyes, reminding Esme that she had company. Reyes hummed in what Esme assumed was agreement with Liam's point.

"Do your scanning thing. Look for anything that might lead us to the killer." Reyes directed and Esme nodded, opening her omni-tool to access her enhanced scanning capabilities. As Esme prepared to ready her scanner, she heard Reyes clear his throat on the other side of the line and waited. "Ryder, got word from one of my colleagues… Vehn Terev made it off Kadara. He's a free man—thanks to you." Reyes informed Esme and she felt some pride for a successful mission completed, but she knew that Reyes' assistance was integral to Vehn's escape from Sloane's clutches.

"You helped, a little." Esme acknowledged, a small chuckle escaping her. She heard Reyes' trademark chuckle and smiled, completely distracted and missed how Cora and Liam exchanged looks with each other.

"Always nice to be recognized." Reyes remarked huskily and Esme swore she could hear that crooked grin of his within his words, which made her fan at her face lightly. She turned around when she realized Cora and Liam were staring at her in confusion. Esme cleared her throat and pulled out her scanner attached with SAM while keeping Reyes patched in through their call, in case she discovered anything of significance. Walking into the doorway, Esme immediately picked up on the trail of blood spatter coating the floor. She glanced at her screen to see there were two genetic signatures found by SAM's enhanced scanning: krogan and angaran.

_"__These footprints are distinctly angaran."_ SAM chimed in through her omni-tool for her and Reyes to hear. Esme glanced over at Liam and Cora to see they were also attuned to the new information.

"I count at least… three attackers. The tracks make it look like an ambush." Esme remarked as she knelt down to study the footprint patterns SAM pointed out hidden in the blood spatter across the floor. Sure enough, the footprints became clearer with closer inspection. The genetic report from earlier popped back up on her omni-tool to remind Esme that angaran DNA was present along with the footprints. That meant the footprints weren't faked. As a former recon specialist with her old Alliance peacekeeping force, Esme learned her honed skills of analyzing clues and bits of information to piece together in a conclusive form of intel.

"Fits the Roekaar profile." Esme murmured but simply finding angaran footprints would be considered circumstantial and those could 'belong' to whoever discovered the body. "It's a start." Esme declared and her tone implied for Liam and Cora to look for any clues they wanted Esme to investigate in more depth. She watched Liam and Cora fan out. Esme walked over to the biggest piece of evidence, the body, and knelt next to it. She scanned the body while crinkling her nose from the smell of rotting flesh.

"Angaran blood… matches your Roekaar theory, Reyes." Esme pointed out while examining the report flashing up on her omni-tool screen. She glanced up at the others, who were wandering around but still listening.

_"__DNA cannot identify political affiliations."_ SAM interjected and Esme nearly rolled at her eyes at SAM's comment. Sometimes her AI acted and sounded more human than AIs were meant to, but Esme was usually endeared by SAM's odd humanity. Esme floated around the compound, scanning different objects of potential interest. At one point, Esme picked up a datapad that Zear owned and read through the messages for any information she might uncover. A small part of her felt a little grimy for going through a dead man's things but she needed to deliver justice.

"Keep scanning. We need hard evidence." Reyes instructed while Esme scanned the remainder of the interior. Other than the footprints, Esme hardly considered any of the mundane items she spotted around the compound to be of worth. Turning back to the footprints, she realized that they lead back outside. She edged closer to the door, following the footprints to where they began outside. Since she was staring at the ground for the tracks, Esme nearly missed the crate resting right beside the door. She did glance up and spot something of significance resting along the edge of the crate: a bloody knife.

"A knife! The killer must have dropped it during the getaway." Esme declared and she tentatively approached the blade, her hand hovering over it. She wrapped her hands around the underside of the hilt and brought it closer when she noticed a specific detail on the knife. Squinting, Esme angled the blade to catch the light when she noticed what appeared to be a foreign language or some symbols etched into the metal of the bloodied blade. "Something's carved into the blade."

_"__It's Shelesh, the angaran trade language. 'A home filled with strangers becomes a prison."_ SAM translated ominously and Esme grimaced at the quote, instantly establishing a clear-cut connection to the Roekaar presence on Kadara and the murders. With each passing second, Esme grew more confident in the idea that the Roekaar were the perpetrators.

"Sounds pretty Roekaar." Esme nearly balked at how on the nose the message was for the Roekaar cause. Andromeda was their home and they felt imprisoned by the arrival of those from the Milky Way. Those sentiments inspired hatred, no doubt about it.

_"__This inscription, along with the DNA and footprints, supports the theory proposed by Mr. Vidal, Pathfinder."_ SAM concluded after some calculations and Esme sighed. Reyes was right about it all from the start.

_ "__Ryder—glad you're here. I'm sure you've heard about the murders." Reyes simultaneously greeted and questioned Esme as she walked into the background, rising from his seat with an air of urgency. Esme grimly nodded, thinking about the bodies and the rumors swirling around Kadara. Besides the growing tensions between the Outcasts and the Collective, the murders were at the forefront of everyone's attention. People were tense and worried that they might be next or that their neighbor might be responsible for the carnage. _

_"__There's a fresh body outside Kralla's. Some of the locals say it's the Charlatan's handiwork." Esme divulged and Reyes could see she didn't buy that explanation. The way her eyes glimmered with deep thought and underlying tension showed him that she had her doubts on that theory, which he agreed with. Reyes knew the Charlatan was not responsible for those kills and had some ideas of his own about who was truly involved. _

_"__I don't buy it. The Charlatan's discreet, careful. Whoever did this wanted the bodies found." Reyes refuted and Esme felt inclined to agree with that. If the Charlatan was so secretive with their identity, then why would they be so blasé with these murders? She and Reyes were on the same page and were looking for someone else orchestrating the whole ordeal. _

_"__Making a statement." Esme proclaimed unprompted and Reyes nodded in agreement. Posing the bodies in such a public place and manner was making quite the statement. _

_"__But to who?" Reyes questioned, there were plenty of factions vying for control of Kadara and each of them were capable of committing murder for their agendas. The obvious answer was the person in control and Esme seemed inclined to believe that. _

_"__The killer could be unhappy with how Sloane's running things." Esme theorized and she felt that motive could fit, albeit a little simplistic. However, conditions in Kadara were ripe for incidents like this to occur and people might see these murders as a way to throw Sloane off-kilter. _

_"__Less than a third of the victims are Outcasts. No, if I was a betting man—and I am—I'd say it was the Roekaar." Reyes speculated, which caused Esme to stop for a moment. Reyes watched as she scrunched up her face in deep concentration and he averted his eyes when he realized he was staring a little too long. _

_"__Why would Roekaar be in Kadara Port?" Esme wondered since Kadara hardly seemed like the place for a group that hated aliens to situate themselves. She and her crew hadn't pursued the Roekaar since Harval. However, Reyes' certainty in his theory suggested that he knew something she didn't and Esme would like to be kept out of the dark. There were too many others who were willing to withhold information from her, so Reyes should understand she wanted all the information before she agreed to anything. _

_"__It's angaran-built and before Sloane, angaran-run. I think the Roekaar came here looking for new recruits and things got out of hand." Reyes described and Esme remembered vaguely hearing that from somewhere that she couldn't remember. She mulled over that information and she could see a motive piecing together, but something bothered her. _

_"__And the angaran victims? How do they fit into your theory?" Esme inquired, seeing that piece of the puzzle didn't quite fit upon first inspection and she wanted to make certain that all her facts aligned before accepting the theory. That's why she didn't blindly embrace the idea of the Charlatan being the mastermind behind the murders. _

_"__I did some digging. All of the deceased angara were public Milky Way sympathizers." Reyes informed and Esme gasped silently. That… that would explain things quite clearly. She ran through the known victims and the bold staging of the murder in the crowded marketplace and analyzed the theorized motive Reyes presented. _

_"__So the victims either were from the Milky Way-"Esme trailed off and she made eye contact with Reyes' knowing, amber eyes. _

_"__-Or supported us. It's the only pattern I could find." Reyes concluded and Esme chewed on her lower lip in deep thought and concentration. _

_"__An angaran port run by aliens would be a prime target for their cause." Esme mused, seeing how Reyes could be right. She trusted his intel's reliability and the motive would make sense for the Roekaar. They would see the befriending or kindness toward aliens from the Milky Way as a form of treason against their own kind. That sentiment would run strong among the Roekaar and serve as a good enough motive to murder. Esme had seen people murdered for less in her time as Pathfinder. _

_"__Problem is, I've got no proof and the Resistance doesn't want to antagonize the Roekaar." Reyes sighed, running his fingers through his hair, and Esme sympathized with his frustration. There were plenty of times she bumped heads with the Nexus leadership over issues they wanted to ignore, more with Tann and Addison than Kandros and Kesh. Often times, Esme felt in the dark about the organization she was supposed to help lead. _

_"__Guessing that's where I come in." Esme supposed and she glanced at Reyes for confirmation. Did he want her to convince Evfra to pursue the angle? Evfra was a tough man to convince, but Esme knew she could do it. She did hold some leverage in the bargaining situation. _

_"__I need that fancy AI of yours to scan for evidence that could implicate the Roekaar. People are scared, Ryder. This is your opportunity to win friends in Kadara Port." Reyes whispered the last part and Esme mulled over how involved she was in his plan. Reyes needed her help and Esme was more than happy to oblige. _

_"__I sound pretty integral to this plan." Esme remarked, seeing how the plan hinged on her agreement and her tech and her energy to expend for Reyes to prove his theory. She glanced over to Reyes and watched his reaction. _

_"__SAM is integral. You're a bonus." Reyes corrected with a smirk and Esme clicked disapprovingly, which directly contrasted the light blush that peppered her cheeks hidden by the neon red light of the room. She leaned back with her hands settled on her hips. She was a 'bonus'? Did that mean what she thought it did? _

_"__Hey, I haven't agreed to help you yet." Esme lightheartedly teased and she waited for Reyes to suavely offer her another reason to help him. She already was sold, but she never tired of Reyes trying to pitch her for her help. _

_"__I feel good about my chances." Reyes mused and Esme raised her brow at the grin he sported and the devilish twinkle in his eyes. Oh, he was a cocky one but Esme hardly minded; he was on target, after all. Reyes sat back down on the couch and gave Esme a nod, "One of the crime scenes isn't far. Give me a call when you get there." Esme gave a cheeky, two-fingered salute and a wink before she turned on her heel and marched out of the room, missing the widening of Reyes' grin. _

"Let's pay our local Roekaar a visit." Reyes declared firmly, snapping Esme out of her distracted recollection of her memories. For a man who was just vindicated, Reyes seemed quite solemn when Esme expected triumph. That's the thing with Reyes, he always kept her guessing.

"You know where they are?" Esme inquired with astonishment and relief. She hardly explored the badlands by that point and the skirmishes between the Outcasts and the Collective were ongoing all across the map. Knowing where she needed to go was more efficient than hoping to stumble onto the right place.

"I wasn't sitting on my ass this whole time. I'm looking at the place right now." Reyes teased and Esme physically perked up. Reyes' talents were truly coming in handy then and she could probably kiss him right about then since he kept her from aimlessly wandering the badlands.

"Send me the coordinates. These murders stop today." Esme commanded and she heard a hum of approval from the other end. The call ended between her and Reyes, but the chirp of coordinates reaching her omni-tool filled the lack of conversation. Esme vaulted over the railing and landed down into the faint patch of grass crunching below her feet. She jogged to the Nomad and climbed into the driver's seat, ready to deal with the Roekaar presence growing in Kadara. Liam and Cora loaded back into the Nomad as Esme launched off toward the rumored encampment of the Roekaar. From the limited map she had programmed into the Nomad, the coordinates placed her past the sulfuric springs SAM warned her about when she first stepped foot into the Kadaran badlands and into uncharted territory. She pulled onto the road made solely by tire track marks repeatedly dug into the dirt, leaving the impressions behind. Esme switched the Nomad to all-terrain mode with a flip of the switch and she steadily increased the pressure on the gas pedal, zooming through the scenery of the badlands at speeds that left Cora and Liam a little pale in the face and gripping something for support in the backseat.

As she drove, Esme halfheartedly examined the passing by landscape of the badlands, complete with steam rising off the sulfuric bodies of water. She avoided driving into the water since being near the lakes' edges could induce negative symptoms to the toxicity of the water. However, the road away from the waters was rocky, which required Esme get a little creative with her off-roading over rocky hills and along the side of mountains. It was truly a miracle that neither Liam nor Cora threw up in the backseat.

Following the navpoint coordinates for a solid ten to twenty minutes, Esme rolled up to a compound built into the side of a mountain and hidden from the main road. The location screamed murderous gang hideout in bold, capitalized letters from the eerie vibe radiating from it. She avoided pulling her weapon right away, even though Esme knew gripping her favorite melee weapon she recovered from the Hyperion's storage recently when visiting her brother in stasis. Esme walked up to the door and opened it to find the room strangely empty, worsening the bundle of anxiety that awakened by showing up outside the compound. Where was Reyes?

"Reyes should be here." Esme muttered aloud, not realizing she had at first. Her eyes darted around and hoped that Reyes would meet them on location. He might be running behind or he might've gotten there first, but Esme highly doubted Reyes would explore without backup. Reyes was crafty and not the type to walk in somewhere unprepared.

"Keep it in your pants. Or out. Whatever." Liam huffed but his tone turned jittery when Esme glanced over her shoulder at him. Her expression remained mostly neutral, but her eyes were sharp enough to cut a man. Her jaw clenched and a small part of her wanted to hiss at Liam, inquiring as to what his problem was. But she would save that for after the mission since the mission presented a time-sensitive outcome.

"That's not-" Esme growled when the door burst open to a squad of angarans, armed to the teeth, who converged upon Esme and her companions. Esme held her arms up in surrender, knowing that she couldn't take them in their current setting without risking serious injury or, god forbid, casualties. Liam and Cora begrudgingly followed her lead on that one.

"Don't move!" The armed angarans commanded and Esme stared down the muzzles of several rifles trained onto her and her companions. She shrugged her shoulders slightly and unable to help herself, her lips quirked up into the ghost of a smirk in the face of danger.

"Were we too loud?" Esme inquired, but the guards were far from pleased. A couple of them wanted to gun the alien intruders down where they stood, but they recognized who she was. Farah should decide what they would do with the meddlesome human Pathfinder and how to send a message that the Roekaar meant business.

"Shut up! Farah will deal with you." One of the guards growled while menacingly jerking his gun toward Esme, missing how the muscles in her body twitched in subdued reaction. Esme nearly launched herself at him to disarm the guard out of pure instinct but held herself back. Esme relented and she allowed the angarans. The guards marched Esme, Liam, and Cora down into the cave with guns to their backs and growls directed their way. As Esme marched across the bridge, she spotted a group of angara residing at the bottom and surrounding who she assumed was their leader, dressed in yellow. Their leader, Farah, marched over to the stairs to intercept her new prisoners. She glared at them, studying the face of the human pathfinder, and she clenched her fists when Esme refused to back down her own glare.

"I don't need to tell you what happens next." Farah ominously remarked and Esme knew she had a pretty good idea of what Farah and her men did to those who crossed them. However, Esme knew she wouldn't be an added tally to their body count. A small part of her remembered Reyes and she knew there were two possibilities: he was already here and captured or he hadn't come yet.

"Settle down. We only came to talk." Esme responded calmly, not betraying any emotions she felt rolling through her mind. Her expression remained blank, even when she felt the hot breath of one of the angaran guards brush against her neck and the muzzle pressing into her back in a silent threat. _Watch your mouth, outsider. _

"We don't talk with outsiders." Farah snapped angrily and Esme could see how tension simmered underneath the surface from the pure hatred in her eyes. "You'll bleed, just like the others" Farah decided and she lifted a knife, identical to the one Esme found at the murder site, into the air. The blade glinted in the limited lighting cruelly and Esme's expression hardened at the sight of the blade. She wasn't afraid, more she was angry.

"So, it's true. You murdered innocent people." Esme narrowed her eyes at Farah and she curled her lip in disgust, earning the knife's point directed at her. She stared down the blade without flinching; she knew fear would only make the situation worse for her.

"Invaders and sympathizers are not innocent. I will protect my home." Farah proclaimed while the guards moved around Esme, Liam, and Cora with their weapons still trained on them. They approached Farah's side and Esme moved an inch closer.

"Don't let your hate poison you. We can coexist." Esme reasoned calmly while she scanned her surroundings for literally anything that could give her a moment to arm herself. Any time now, she could use a distraction or something. She didn't suppose Liam or Cora have any tricks up their sleeves. Farah seemed disgusted by Esme's call for unity between the Milky Way aliens and the angarans as if they weren't parasites.

"Like here on Kadara? Sloane lies to my people and uses them for power." Farah interrogated and Esme quirked her lips into a mix of shock and a conceding scowl at the mention of Sloane. Sloane was not the best representation of the Milky Way but as they say, a few bad apples spoil the bunch. Esme kind of wanted to agree with Farah but that probably would make things worse for her and her companions. Then, Esme realized that Farah grouped her and Sloane in the same category and she grit her teeth.

"I'm not Sloane." Esme hissed out, quite pissed by the comparison. She was nowhere near Sloane and she wished the Roekaar would stop being such stubborn assholes about everything. Both sides hated the kett and their inhumane experiments or whatever else they were doing, which should be their main focus instead of fighting each other.

"You are all the same." Farah growled and she lifted her hand, ready to finish these aliens for trespassing when she groaned in pain. Farah grabbed at her hand and Esme realized, with a delayed reaction, that Farah had been shot. The knife she held in her hand skidded out of her grasp and Esme heard the clatter of footsteps against the stairs.

"Not so fast!" Reyes exclaimed as he swiftly sprinted down the stairs with a weapon trained on Farah, daring her to make a move. Farah leaned back when Reyes stopped next to Esme and glanced at her, glad she seemed unharmed. Her companions were unharmed too, improving their chances if a gunfight broke out. His amber eyes shone with concern and Esme raised her brow at him. Despite her slight annoyance at him not showing up earlier like he promised, Esme thanked her lucky stars that Reyes was coming to her and her companion's rescue.

"You're late," Esme remarked, ribbing him a little. She sounded stern but her eyes conveyed relief, which Reyes could clearly see.

"I've got a good reason. You'll see in three…" Reyes declared and his countdown sent Farah scrambling in panic and fearing what the smuggler had up his sleeve. Reyes raised his weapon to hone on Farah but still remained by Esme's side.

"Don't just stand there!" Farah screeched at her forces and they began to mobilize behind her with weapons. Cora and Liam nervously bristled when they realized that they were outgunned with their weapons stripped from them. Esme glanced at Reyes from her peripheral and she could use his reason to kick in right about then. Reyes watched Farah with a trained gaze and his finger twitching against the trigger. Farah narrowed her eyes at him but Reyes didn't waver.

"Two…" Reyes declared and Esme braced herself while her eyes never wavered from Farah, awaiting for danger to strike. Her whole body tensed in preparation to hit the ground.

"Kill them!" Farah bellowed and before any of her men could attack, the hideout was rocked when an explosive went off. Bodies collapsed and Esme covered her eyes, glancing over at Reyes who did the same thing. When the smoke cleared, Reyes leveled his gun at whatever of the Roekaar forces might remain.

"Still mad?" Reyes inquired as Esme shook her head, lunging forward when she spotted a pistol lying a few feet away.

"No." Esme decided. She expertly tucked into a roll as she scooped up the angaran pistol and leveled it up at the angarans scrambling around to regain their bearings in the aftermath of the bomb exploding. With two quick clicks of the trigger underneath her deft finger, Esme released two consecutive, fatal headshots in the nearest angarans. With trained precision, Esme surged forward and whirled around to take out another three angarans within a matter of ten seconds in the same fashion. She grinned when she watched the five remaining angarans dart for cover and how they crumpled as she picked them off one by one. The cave fell silent as the Roekaar presence in Kadara was effectively eliminated and the murders were bound to stop. Esme placed the pistol down on a nearby crate gently and she tightened her ponytail with her free hands. She picked up her assault rifle that the angarans confiscated and she expected Liam and Cora to do the same. Glancing over her shoulder, Esme settled her sights on Reyes who lowered his weapon. He took in her heavy breathing but the exhilarated twinkle in her eyes from the adrenaline bursting through her system; Reyes was quite impressed with Esme's skills. He encountered plenty of skilled marksmen in his line of work but Esme could put them all to shame with a weapon that didn't belong to her- an unfamiliar tool that she wielded with such comfort. Cora and Liam retrieved their respective weapons and searched for any important data on the Roekaar while Esme leaned against one of the crates and caught her breath. Once the cave was cleared, Esme decided that they should head back to the city limits. The foursome walked from the lower levels of the cave with Cora and Liam ahead of Esme and Reyes, after Esme gave them a look that signaled for them to go ahead of her. She and Reyes strolled up the stairs to their own pace. Esme adjusted her favorite assault rifle back onto her armor and Reyes clapped her on the shoulder.

"The streets of Kadara are safe again. You did good, Ryder." Reyes commented with a hint of pride in his voice directed toward Esme. She went out on a limb for him and managed to prove his theory about the Roekaar correct. For that, he owed her another favor. However, Reyes was finding out that he liked owing Esme favors because those kept her coming back. He shot his trademark crooked grin her way and released her shoulder as Esme walked in front of him. She stopped and turned to face him, still standing on the steps. "Don't worry, I'll let all the important people know who to thank."

"We make a good team." Esme corrected sweetly and she observed how a grin worked onto his face once more at her comment. 'We', a two-letter word that somehow made Reyes and Esme both feel jittery at the implicit connection within it. Esme knew that Reyes' assistance was vital to her successes in Kadara and she started to consider them as allies. Reyes caught up to her and stopped beside her.

"Careful—I'll start thinking you like me." Reyes cautioned with a chuckle, but his amber eyes told a different story. They were almost hesitant to Esme and that intrigued her. Esme inched closer to Reyes standing beside her and turned her head to face him. Esme knew that Liam and Cora were still a few feet away and watching the interaction between the two of them. She knew that they were growing suspicious of her eagerness to help Reyes and most likely shared their concerns with the others on the crew. She recalled Liam's comment from earlier that he attempted to pass off as a poorly-executed joke and the sliver of what she now realized was jealousy laced between his words. However, they were millions of miles away from her mind at that moment. Esme leaned in a little closer and she fluttered her lashes unintentionally at Reyes.

"Would that be such a bad thing?" Esme questioned in a soft whispery voice that made Reyes speechless for a second. That, coupled with the softness in Esme's eyes made the impossible happen within Reyes. Reyes discreetly swallowed at the lump in his throat and glanced down at Esme, grinning at her words.

"Depends… Don't be a stranger, Pathfinder." Reyes whispers lowly to Esme and she barely kept back from wetting her lips with her tongue at his tone implying something more. Her breath silently hitched in her chest and her eyes locked onto his once more, watching as Reyes walked toward the door. A grin spread across Esme's face as she watched him go and her grin widened when Reyes shot her another wink her way just like their first meeting. Esme crossed her arms and glanced down at the floor, drawing her lower lip between her teeth. She was already coming up with another reason to see Reyes Vidal and she figured that celebratory drinks for the success of the mission might suffice.


	3. The Ex

The Ex

Returning from the fringes of the Kadaran badlands, Esme Ryder walked through the gate and waved at the warden, who blankly stared at her. Her companions of Jaal and Liam followed after her, talking about retiring to the Tempest for the evening when they observed Esme halt between the lift and the gate. Her face turned toward Tartarus, the club in the Kadaran slums and a frequent haunt of one Reyes Vidal. Esme bit down on her lip when she remembered Reyes' parting words to her during their last encounter about her not being a stranger. Lately, she had been thinking about him and decided to pay him a visit.

"Liam, Jaal, we're heading to Tartarus." Esme declared before veering toward the stairs leading to the second floor outside of the nightclub. Approaching the double doors, Esme could feel the hypnotic buzz of the bass through the thin walls and the faint trickles of noise patrons before she even opened the doors. Throwing the doors open, Esme strode through the din of the run-down, seedy bar and toward the back room where she knew Reyes would be. Configuring SAM, Esme opened the door with his bypass protocols and smirked when she spotted Reyes exactly where she suspected he would be—lounging on the couch in the red glow of the back room.

"Ryder, good to see you." Reyes greeted as he glanced up to see Esme walking into the private room, her two companions flanking her. One he hadn't met, an Angaran, seemed intrigued by his presence while the other he believed to be named Liam or something similar, a human, glowered at him from behind Esme. Reyes hardly flinched at the harmless glare shot in his direction as he focused instead on Esme, standing before him in her armor.

"You said I should come to you if I needed intel. Well, I could use some of your expertise. I want to establish an outpost on Kadara, but… I'm not quite sure how to." Esme disclosed and Reyes nodded, sitting up in his seat. He already knew why Esme turned to him because the parties in power would never give her the time of day or assistance. She trusted him and Reyes trusted her to help him if need be.

"Because of Sloane?" Reyes questioned, but he knew that was precisely why Esme sought his assistance and counsel on the matter. Unless she just enjoyed his company… In that case, he would gladly make time for Esme. After their last encounter where they solved the murders of Kadaran residents, Reyes felt oddly reluctant to watch Esme go. She was starting to grow on him. First, she intrigued him with her no-nonsense approach to Sloane and how she never cowed down. Then, her willingness to help made him endear to her more.

"She's made it pretty clear she hates the Initiative." Esme nodded and she looked at Reyes hopefully, waiting for him to give her some idea about where to start. Her gaining footholds on Kadara would be facilitated by Reyes' generosity if he decided to help.

"The woman knows how to hold a grudge." Reyes scoffed when thinking about Sloane's blatant hatred of the Pathfinder. He listened to the rumor mill frequently enough to hear important information like how Sloane felt threatened by Esme's presence on Kadara. He glanced at Esme, who seemed utterly motivated to complete her mission on Kadara and Reyes would help her. Perhaps he had a soft spot for the Pathfinder, or he knew she would be a trustworthy ally. Reyes leaned back with his arms draped over the couch. "My advice: gain favor with the 'little people.' Prove that the Initiative hasn't turned its back on them and Sloane will hang herself. Is there more I can help you with?"

"Yes, actually." Esme decided after some contemplation and glanced at her companions with a serious look. As much as she trusted her team, Esme would prefer some privacy to talk with Reyes. There was nothing the team needed to know. Esme questioned, "Jaal and Liam? Could you give Reyes and I some privacy please?" Liam seemed prepared to protest as he looked at Reyes smirking and staring at Esme with a look that made Liam's chest constrict. He watched Reyes' eyes roam over Esme with interest and he knew Reyes' type, wondering what Esme saw in this guy beside him being a sleazebag. Esme raised her brow as she waited for a reply.

"Of course, Pathfinder. Come now, Liam." Jaal agreed and place his hand on his compatriot's shoulder. Jaal understood and respected Esme's request for some privacy. He could see that the smuggler harbored no ill-intent toward the Pathfinder and therefore, she was in no danger. Liam sighed in resignation when he realized Jaal would drag him along with him.

"We'll be right outside," Liam informed and Esme was unsure if he directed that at her or Reyes. He glanced between the two of them and reluctantly followed Jaal out the door, scowling the whole time. Reyes heard Liam's veiled threat loud and clear, but he had no reason to fear it. Esme turned to Reyes as she listened to the door close behind Liam and Jaal, leaving her and the smuggler alone.

"You have me all alone, Ryder. So, what's on your mind?" Reyes questioned and gestured to the plenty of open couch space next to him on either side. Esme drifted over to his left side and accepted the spot that was close but not uncomfortably so.

"I was thinking about the exiles because of your advice. Did you play a big part in the mutiny on the Nexus?" Esme inquired of Reyes the question lingering in her mind when she returned to the Nexus after seeing how the exiles lived. They all believed in Sloane's lofty promises and thirst for control, leading to the mutiny that exiled them from their friends and family.

"I had nothing to do with that shit show." Reyes laughed, but there was some discomfort tinged in his tone while thinking about the mutiny. As an outsider to the whole fiasco, Reyes could see the wounds afflicted and how the exiles were suffering. He never liked Director Tann, but Sloane was not much better; both were influenced by power and control and willing to step over others to keep it.

"Then, why did you leave?" Esme followed up with another inquiry, not understanding why someone would willingly jump ship for the side that lost the greatest. Both sides suffered, but the Nexus considerably less than the exiles.

"The way Tann handled things didn't really inspire confidence. Decided that I could do better on my own. So I jumped ship with the rest of them. Ended up here." Reyes revealed and Esme understood what he meant. If she were honest, Tann is not one of her personal favorite people. There were too many questions regarding where his interests lied and the politics he played left Esme suspicious of what he wanted out of the Initiative's successes. However, she saw the way that the exiles (except those in Sloane's pocket) lived. Those not members of the Outcasts fought over the scraps while the Outcasts lived comfortably for a group of excommunicated exiles on a hostile planet.

"I see. How long have you worked for the Resistance?" Esme moved on from that topic since she never figured out what made a smuggler like Reyes join forces with an Angaran movement to provide information about the exiles. She guessed the typical motivators: money and information.

"A few months. When Sloane 'saved' Kadara Port from the kett, Evfra wanted eyes and ears on the ground. Figured people would be more loose-lipped around their own kind. He was right." Reyes explained and Esme nodded, seeing how the distrust of other aliens was not solely a Roekaar issue but rather a galaxy issue.

"I'd hardly call Sloane's rule on Kadara a save," Esme remarked with a scoff and Reyes chuckled at her thinly veiled, shady barb directed toward Sloane. He was a man who understood that results appealed to people and Esme was someone who delivered on her promises. She was a different breed from the leaders that rose to power in the open territory of Andromeda, which fascinated Reyes. Esme leaned closer to Reyes and turned her head to make eye contact with him beside her, "Speaking about the Resistance… your codename, 'Shena'—what's it mean?"

"It's the Angaran word for 'mouth'… I'm good with words." Reyes explained with some semblance of bashfulness in his voice, even though Esme could clearly pinpoint the innuendo dancing in those amber eyes of his. Esme stifled a giggle.

"Among other things?" Esme suggested with a smirk and Reyes stared at her with surprise and amusement mixed together in his eyes. She took him off-guard with that little addition and he chuckled at her forwardness, a trait he appreciated. Unlike anyone else he's ever known, Esme knew how to keep him on his toes around her and how to keep him thinking about her long after she left for another mission.

"Never had a complaint," Reyes replied and he gave Esme a crooked grin to seal the mental image she suggested with her cheeky comment. Esme nudged him with her shoulder and she couldn't help the small smile that worked onto her lips. She felt the faint warmth along her cheeks and she hoped the red glow of the room from the neon lights covered any color that might have appeared on her features. Knowing Reyes, it would supply him endless ammunition to tease her.

"Aren't you trouble, Vidal?" Esme whispered lowly and her comment made Reyes release a bark of genuine laughter. Esme brushed off her armor and rose onto her feet, casting a sidelong glance at Reyes. "Thanks for the help," Esme remarked sincerely and rose from the couch, heading for the door with some ideas on how to help the little people and some more information about the enigma known as Reyes Vidal. Suddenly remembering a favor he needed to ask, Reyes reached out toward Esme.

"Ryder, wait," Reyes called out to Esme, and she stopped to look at him, seeing him rise out of his seat. She turned back around and studied the scoundrel. "If you're not occupied, I could use your help. It would save me the trouble of looking for you later on."

"Should I go? You look like the type who enjoys the chase." Esme wondered aloud and she watched Reyes' eyes flash at her statement. So, he didn't want her to go? That made her smirk grow wider and she placed her hands on her hips, waiting for Reyes to answer.

"Looks can be deceiving. I'm too shy for that nonsense." Reyes denied in an exaggerated fashion and that response made Esme analyze him with a skeptical gaze. There was something Reyes wanted, she could sense it.

"Oh yeah, a real introvert." Esme snickered and rolled her eyes at Reyes' blatantly flirtatious lie; Reyes was the type who liked to be in control and chased, not to pursue another. Esme gestured for Reyes to continue, "So, what did you need me for?"

"A business rival, Zia Cordier, lifted cargo I was moving for a client." Reyes disclosed in a low tone as if he feared someone might overhear the private conversation in an empty room to Esme. Esme tilted her head to the side and she had no idea that smugglers would openly steal from each other. That was a seriously risky yet bold move on Zia's part.

"You want my help getting it back," Esme concluded from his minimal information and she raised a brow, waiting for Reyes to confirm her speculation. Reyes nodded slightly and Esme knew she was right.

"We worked so well together on the Roekaar job. I thought you'd be willing." Reyes shrugged and he glanced at Esme, hoping she would be willing. There was quite a payout riding on him getting the cargo back.

"How did this rival of yours get ahold of your cargo?" Esme questioned, curious about how Zia managed to pull off such a feat as to snatch cargo from under Reyes' nose.

"Her usual tactics: got my middle man drunk, then stole his ship," Reyes explained and Esme nearly choked on the air. Reyes seemed so casual about the way that his rival stole the cargo he was paid to transport and Esme detected a familiarity to his description of this. Some part of her guessed that Zia did this once or multiple times before. But to what extent did Reyes know Zia's tactics?

"Creative… Sounds like you know from experience." Esme mused and gave Reyes a knowing look that made him scoff at her and bristle. He rarely drank on the job because he took his responsibilities seriously. Now after the job was a different story.

"Please, I keep to a three drink maximum when I'm on a job." Reyes huffed indignantly at the idea Esme insinuated and she giggled. He waited for her response to his request in getting the cargo back and reminding Zia of who she was trifling with. Esme hardly had to think about it; she would help Reyes with this in exchange for his favors. That didn't mean she wouldn't mess with him a little bit.

"We cut the profits fifty/fifty." Esme negotiated with a coy grin flitting onto her lips and she trained her eyes on Reyes', watching him for a reaction. Reyes stared back at Esme and he was quite amused by her offer; she drove a hard bargain.

"Sixty/forty. Final offer." Reyes countered expertly and he watched as Esme tilted her head to the side, analyzed him for a couple of seconds, and felt a wave of triumph when her lips quirked up at the ends into a smile.

"Deal." Esme accepted with a smile and she grinned, knowing she convinced Reyes into splitting profits with her when she wasn't concerned about credits in the slightest. She earned plenty of credits through selling the salvage from her adventures to the merchants on the Nexus and other places.

"When she stops in Kadara, Zia drinks at Kralla's Song. We'll start there. See if Umi heard anything that could help us." Reyes declared and Esme knew she had time right then. She wanted to knock this favor out of the way before she made the final trek to find the last monolith. Dealing with resetting Kadara's vault was an enormous task and she felt up for a few, minor errands at the moment.

"Well, shall we head there now?" Esme questioned and Reyes stood up, liking Esme's drive to help him. The Pathfinder and the smuggler walked together out of the backroom and their presence nearly startled Liam and Jaal who waited nearby. Liam expected Esme to break off from Reyes to head over to them, but she signaled him and Jaal to follow her and Reyes without an explanation. Reyes and Esme walked ahead and exchanged rapid-fire conversations while her companions followed behind shrouded in silence.

"What is that smuggler up to?" Liam muttered to Jaal to keep from Esme overhearing, and Jaal merely shrugged. Personally, he didn't think the smuggler was up to anything as it seemed Esme was leading the way. The two companions quickened their pace to get closer to Esme and Reyes, speaking with animated voices and some laughter thrown in.

"I have to know: what is the craziest story you have from the job?" Esme queried eagerly after she shared some stories about her time before the Initiative and some tales about her crew since she met them that had Reyes actually laughing. Reyes contemplated Esme's question and a slew of stories came to mind for their harrowing events, but Reyes wanted to keep Esme guessing.

"This job is never dull. I have scars from some of my jobs and I could show you them sometime." Reyes suggested huskily, which caused Esme to suck in a breath. Oh, Esme was playing with fire for even contemplating such a proposal.

"Oh? Now, I might have to take you up on that offer." Esme admitted with a coy smile tugging at her lips once more. One thing about Reyes that Esme kept discovering: he could bring a smile to her lips without much effort. Reyes' eyes flickered over to her for a second and he grinned.

"I'd be happy to oblige." Reyes devilishly insisted while he and Esme walked into Kralla's Song. Esme glanced behind them to see Liam and Jaal awaiting her orders or some inkling of what was going on. Reyes noticed this and leaned over to Esme. "Meet me at the bar," Reyes remarked before sauntering off toward the bar. Esme shook her head at him and turned to her companions.

"Reyes and I will work the bartender for any information. We'll be quick." Esme instructed and she walked up to the bar, lingering behind Reyes for a second with a gleam in her eyes. She wet her lips discreetly and she leaned in slightly. "You look like you're waiting for someone." Esme purred, unable to help herself when presented the opportunity, and she couldn't see how Reyes' lips twitched into a smile, recalling those were the first words he spoke to her when meeting at the bar in Kralla's Song.

"That's my line." Reyes declared in mock offense and his eyes landed on Esme as she leaned on the bar next to him and gave him a playful look. She smirked at him and relished in the role reversal she flipped on Reyes. Glancing behind them, Esme established visuals of Jaal and Liam—who watched her. Liam still scowled and Jaal calculatedly studied her and Reyes from a distance with those intelligent eyes.

"Ugh… you want a drink or a room?" The bartender, Umi, questioned and that caught Reyes' and Esme's attention from their banter. Esme raised her brow at the last offer while she bit down on her tongue to keep from saying something inappropriate. Reyes tipped his head toward Umi at the comment.

"Information, actually." Reyes clarified and Umi crossed her arms over her chest; she should've known Reyes was here for information since that was his usual fare with the occasional exception of drinks for wooing the latest object of his affection.

"That'll cost you more than a round of drinks." Umi clicked her tongue expectantly and glanced at Reyes since he knew the drill when it came to requesting information from her. Reyes glanced at Esme through his peripheral vision and suavely rested his arm over her shoulders, giving her a pat.

"My friend's good for it." Reyes quickly declared and gestured at Esme, who gave an incredulous look to Reyes, but she would handle the cost this time. However, she would be collecting on that debt when she needed it at some later time.

"I'll expect a favor in return," Esme explained to Reyes, who ran his eyes up and down her form and bit down on the inside of his lip. Esme caught his wandering eyes and she fluttered her lashes at him, a silent gesture of how he owed her.

"You're one person I'll happily owe something." Reyes disclosed huskily to Esme and both Esme and Reyes turned back to Umi when they heard her groan. She didn't know what was worse: Reyes' insufferably flirty personality rearing its head or that the Pathfinder was encouraging him by flirting back.

"What do you want to know?" Umi questioned after she slid a drink to a patron across the bar, knowing she had limited time. Whatever Reyes and the Pathfinder wanted from her better be quick since she was busy.

"Zia Cordier. She been around recently?" Reyes inquired and Umi raised her brow fascinatedly since Reyes' present company might not like the avenue this conversation would be going down. She had seen Zia a few days ago and mulled over what possible business Reyes might have with Zia given their… history.

"You mean your ex? Yeah. She was here." Umi confirmed flatly while glancing over at Esme and Esme's posture stiffened at the new tidbit of information that Reyes casually forgot to mention over the fact that this Zia character was not just a rival, but also his ex. She swallowed back a snarky response in retaliation and calmly glanced over at Reyes. One look in Esme's eyes and Reyes felt a little on edge about the irritation laced in the depths of her bright green irises.

"Ex? As in girlfriend?" Esme questioned and her tone, deadly calm, set off all the warning flags in Reyes' mind. He hadn't expected Umi to bring it up as he considered the whole thing behind him and Esme's verbal response had him feeling off-kilter. He didn't know why though, just like he had no clue why Esme had such an influence over him.

"Girlfriend's such a strong word. We had drinks occasionally. So…" Reyes defended with an uncharacteristic nervousness that felt out of place for him to Esme. Maybe it was the scathing glare she leveled at Reyes' lame, dodgy response to her question or the idea that she would run into Reyes' ex, but Esme's opinion of this mission soured quickly. Sensing that Esme was not pleased, Reyes cleared his throat and turned to Umi. "She was here?"

"Yeah. Met with a Salarian. Shifty guy I'd never seen before. Maybe it was the Charlatan?" Umi speculated and at the mention of the Charlatan, Reyes perked up with some interest. Esme thought about the possible uses the Charlatan might want with a smuggler like Zia and it raised some questions about what was contained in the cargo.

"Anything's possible. You overhear their conversation?" Reyes directed the conversation back on track from speculation to concrete information, hoping Umi could provide a location for the sale of the cargo. That would be his best chance to intercept Zia and steal back the shipment.

"They were planning to meet somewhere at Spirit's Ledge," Umi remarked, leaning in to whisper to Reyes and Esme. Reyes knew exactly where Umi referred to since he knew that area of the badlands was common for other smugglers to exchange trades.

"Thanks, Umi," Reyes nodded respectfully and Umi shrugged.

"Whatever. You didn't hear it from me." Umi nonchalantly remarked before she walked across the bar to serve another customer, leaving Esme and Reyes alone to discuss their game plan. Reyes quickly formulated some leads he and Esme might consider following up on.

"If you check the meeting spot, I'll follow the Collective lead. Doubt Zia was meeting the Charlatan, but you never know." Reyes proposed, planning to divvy up the work between him and Esme when he turned and noticed her icy glare directed right at him.

"So, is this job about getting your cargo back or one-upping an ex?" Esme interrogated while still leaning against the counter of the bar. Her tone was cutting and flat with no trace of friendliness. Reyes nearly sighed; Esme was furious and him dodging the questions she lobbed at him wasn't helping.

"Why, Ryder, are you jealous?" Reyes jested, but Esme would not allow him to dodge another question because she would not waste her time to help him win a pissing contest with his ex. She had more important things to do if that were the case.

"Just answer the question." Esme's clipped response was sharp and exacting like the blade of a dagger creeping dangerously close. Reyes held up his hands and swallowed when he realized how the fact that Zia was his ex got underneath Esme's skin. There were times where omitting information came back to bit him in the ass and Reyes knew that this was one of those times.

"It's about the cargo," Reyes responded, letting out a nervous chuckle at Esme's suggestion. One-upping Zia was not the primary goal, but a guaranteed bonus. Reyes continued, "I'll work my contacts. Give me a call when you get to the meeting spot." Reyes decided and without giving any form of acknowledgment, Esme wordlessly walked off to the exit. Reyes grimaced at the palpable cold shoulder the Pathfinder sent his way with her eyes sending a bitter glare ahead. Jaal and Liam perked up when they noticed Esme approaching but quickly caught onto her hardened expression. Esme walked past them without a word and curtly crooked two fingers in a gesture to follow her. Jaal and Liam scampered after Esme, who was nearly out the doors of Kralla's Song and marching her way toward the lifts to the slums. Patrons of the marketplace dodged out of her way since no one wanted to get in the way of the Pathfinder, the source of Kadara's improving conditions and a rumored force to be reckoned with. By that point, Jaal and Liam were quite concerned about the exchange in Kralla's Song that left Esme fuming and refusing to speak to anyone.

"So, uh, what happened back there?" Liam questioned while he increased his pace to catch up with Esme while Jaal trailed only slightly behind. Esme said nothing in response and clenched her jaw while she approached the lifts to the slums. She punched in the necessary commands for the lift to descend into Kadara's slums and Esme impatiently leaped off the lift before it fully reached a complete stop, stalking toward the badlands where she could call the Nomad. She accessed her navpoint via SAM while walking into the starting boundaries of the badlands to gather the coordinates Umi provided. Entering the badlands for the second time that day, Esme marched over to the forward station and called the Nomad through the terminal attached to the station. When the Nomad arrived, Esme vaulted into the driver's seat and buckled herself in while she prepared to confront Zia.

Jaal and Liam barely slipped into their seats and grabbed their seat belts before Esme slammed on the gas, hard. The Nomad jolted forward—lifting off the ground from the velocity—and toward the location in Spirit's Ledge that Umi provided to her and Reyes while at Kralla's Song. She aggressively pressed forward deep into the badlands while driving over rocks and through enemy camps without any signs of stopping, which concerned Liam and Jaal. Esme's knuckles paled from how rough she crushed the steering wheel underneath her vice grip, and she replayed the conversation repeatedly in her mind. So, Zia was Reyes' ex? She couldn't believe that he 'conveniently' left out that crucial information that served as a potential motive. Reyes was a man-made of secrets, she knew that, but it still stung. She hardly realized that she approached the fork in the road that would lead her straight to Spirit's Ledge or down around a longer route to where she wanted to go since she quickly broke into the triple digits with her speed.

"Ummm Ryder, the navpoint says that the location is that way." Liam gestured out the window toward the pathway Esme passed between some rock formations that would lead to where Zia supposedly planned to meet her buyer. Esme kept her eyes trained on the road and Liam thought about speaking again when he heard her voice.

"I know. I need a couple moments to drive and clear my head." Esme snapped back and Liam backed off, sensing that she would appreciate some silence. Esme continued to drive along the unexplored roads for nearly ten additional minutes before she decided to circle back and reach the navpoint. Approaching the building, Esme parked the Nomad off to the side and she crept closer to the building. Opening the door, she saw Reyes inside and glancing around for the cargo, only to find the building devoid of the cargo they sought.

"It's empty." Reyes murmured in confusion and he glanced over at Esme, who appeared equally confused at first. She thought that they might have missed the exchange, but something in her gut told her that the set-up of this whole mission felt off. Esme swallowed and tapped Reyes on the shoulder.

"What if this was all just some elaborate trick to get you here?" Esme theorized since no other alternative made sense. She watched Reyes' expression cycle through several different emotions as he processed Esme's idea.

"You mean… there was never any cargo?" Reyes stammered and his brain scrambled to click all the pieces coming together to realize his mistake. He unintentionally led Esme into a trap. He planned on suggesting they leave when a feminine laugh he still painfully remembered abruptly rang out while the doors opened.

"Bravo! I knew you would figure it out eventually." A voice interrupted Esme and Reyes' conversation and Reyes' posture stiffened as a shadowy figure sauntered toward Esme and Reyes. Esme mimicked Reyes' defensive stance but held off on drawing her weapons.

"Zia," Reyes stated angrily and Esme studied Zia with a swift yet detailed examination. Esme took in her short, fire engine red pixie cut and the paleness of her skin before she nearly missed the next words out of Zia's mouth.

"You could never resist the big payout." Zia mused snarkily and she found herself pleased to see that Reyes hadn't changed. It made it much easier for her plan to unfurl accordingly.

"What can I say? I'm a greedy man." Reyes professed in his typical, nonchalant manner when someone insulted him. He would describe taunts like Zia's as an occupational hazard.

"That's why you don't have any friends; you're selfish." Zia taunted Reyes, hoping for a reaction from him. However, it was Esme who couldn't keep quiet any longer. She narrowed her eyes and stepped forward, physically interjected herself into the conversation. Zia's eyes flickered to Reyes' companion and assumed that she was the Pathfinder she heard about through rumors. She hardly seemed like the warrior people spoke of in awe and fear and Zia could see the anger rippling through the Pathfinder's movements.

"Keep running your mouth and you'll earn yourself a bitch slap," Esme growled, referencing the secret moniker her brother, Scott, bestowed upon her favorite weapon: an Asari-crafted, sword that packed some serious power. Her fingers twitched as she grasped the hilt of the sword, strapped onto her back. Zia focused on Esme after glancing at Reyes, smirking at her in a way that made Esme see red. She squared up her shoulders and hissed through her clenched jaw, "Reyes is a better man than you think."

"Oh, honey, you have no idea how wrong you are. But you will." Zia bemusedly cackled at Esme's fiery response to her. This woman, the Pathfinder, hardly knew Reyes compared to Zia's history with the smuggler. Esme suppressed a huff in her throat at Zia's threat directed at her. She planned to retort when she saw Reyes step forward.

"Leave her out of this," Reyes demanded with a growl directed at Zia. Esme was not her target; he was. Zia would refrain from threatening Esme because that would ensure things turned uglier than they were rapidly becoming. Reyes knew Zia harbored an ulterior motive and he played a significant role in it. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone through the effort of the elaborate set-up. So, Zia should leave the business between him and her without dragging Esme into it. Zia noted Reyes' reaction and her grin grew wider.

"You must really like this one, Reyes." Zia chuckled, sensing that she stumbled upon a sensitive subject by mentioning the Pathfinder. One glance between the two and Zia knew Reyes held a soft spot for her and mutual attraction simmered in their interactions. Were they lovers? It didn't matter to Zia. She would be making sure Reyes suffered a staggering defeat and she would enjoy his loss immensely.

"Cut the shit! What's this all about?" Reyes hissed and it was time that he received some damn answers for all the cloak and dagger, secretive scheme to get him here.

"You've been taking all the good jobs in Kadara. It's gotten more than my attention." Zia proclaimed slyly and Reyes caught onto her inference that there were others involved who wanted him out of the picture. Reyes snarled, bearing his teeth at Zia.

"So, what? The local smuggling union got together and decided to take me down?" Reyes questioned with an incredulous scoff at the thought. This is what the whole set up was about? Zia and other smugglers were tired of Reyes landing the well-paying jobs and so they turned to assassination? Reyes knew he made enemies, but to kill competition was extreme even among smugglers.

"Something like that." Zia shrugged her shoulders and pulled out her gun, signaling to Esme that she should draw her weapons. Liam and Jaal followed that instinct and drew their various firearms. Reyes was the only one currently unarmed, but that would change soon enough.

"Shit!" Reyes cursed and Esme could sense where things were heading. They walked straight into an ambush orchestrated by Zia with the intent to kill Reyes. Things were about to get bloody.

"Move in!" Zia commanded, turning over her shoulder, and the sound of pounding boots thudding filled the empty building. Esme, Reyes, Jaal, and Liam all ducked behind the nearby crates for cover when a flurry of smugglers stormed into the room with weapons at the ready to eliminate Reyes. The smugglers released a few rounds of gunfire against the crates with the hopes of drawing Reyes or the others out for an easy kill.

Reyes glanced over at Esme and spotted a determined expression on her face, knowing an idea brewed in her mind. Esme's hand gripped the edge of the crate she and Reyes hid behind and launched herself on top of the container smoothly. She pulled out her pistol and shot the first smuggler who rushed out her point-blank in the throat without blinking. The smuggler clawed at his throat before dropping limply to the ground, making adrenaline explode throughout Esme's body. Esme darted off the crate, pivoted to the side, and unloaded a bullet into the head of a smuggler sneaking up on her right side. She spotted one coming on her left, but Reyes easily took them out with a quick headshot.

With ruthless efficiency, Esme set her sights on Zia and launched at her from across the room. She heard Jaal, Reyes, and Liam exchanging gunfire with the other smugglers—leaving her to handle Zia. Before Zia could raise her weapon, Esme exchanged her Talon pistol for her famed Asari sword and she was known for being a speed demon when melee was involved. Esme closed the gap between her and Zia before knocking Zia's gun out of her hands with the flat of her blade. With a redirection of her sword, Esme opened a staggering and troublingly deep gash along Zia's cheek. Blood seeped from the wound and Zia gasped, stumbling back and clutching at her cheek. However, no retaliation occurred as she stepped into the crossfire of Jaal's modified kett snipper and dropped to the ground. Esme stared at her with a sneer before turning away to see Liam and Reyes finishing the last of the smugglers, securing a victory for them and an escape with their lives to fight another day.

"I knew I wasn't popular, but I never thought the other smugglers would team up against me. Kind of flattering, actually." Reyes breathed out while he walked over to the door. He leaned against the wall and hid a wince from Esme, hoping she wouldn't notice that he cradled his ribs tenderly. One of the smugglers clocked him in the ribs with his weapon and bruised the area at least. He would patch himself up later.

"They might try again." Esme declared while staring around at all the bodies before turning to Reyes, who stood fully up. His amber eyes glittered with something that Esme couldn't quite place and a small smile touched his lips but quickly disappeared.

"You're worried about me?" Reyes questioned in the middle of an amused laugh when Esme scowled at him with mild annoyance. She was worried about his safety and Reyes was too busy finding her concern hilarious.

"Reyes…" Esme firmly chided for his lack of personal concern about another attempt on his life. Esme's heartbeat quickened at the thought of another ambush and she worried what would happen if she wasn't there. The idea of Reyes gone made Esme's stomach churn in a violent manner, and she shoved the idea out of her mind.

"Relax. I know they're coming now. They won't get the jump on me." Reyes assured Esme and he sighed when looking at all the dead bodies scattered across the compound. The carnage before him stemmed over greed and a desire for credits that didn't exist. "All that effort and no credits to show for it."

"Not everything has to be about credits," Esme commented and Reyes found his throat dry at her tone. A small part of him knew that Esme was right; she often was. It was funny how easily Reyes would swallow his pride and admit his wrongs when it came to Esme Ryder.

"That's true." Reyes conceded and he found himself staring at Esme. He owed her many things: an apology for dragging her into this mess, a favor for the information, and most of all… his gratitude. When she stood up for him to Zia, Reyes felt his heart lurch in shock. The way she leaped to his defense and readied herself to scuffle with Zia made Esme settle into a league of people that Reyes knew were too good for him, a group of only one. He cleared his throat, "What you said back there… about me being a better man. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Esme responded softly, a small part of her wanting to tell Reyes that he never had to thank her for defending what good she saw in him. Esme could tell Reyes leaned on the opinions others formed about him and utilized them. People saw him as a scoundrel among other things and Reyes merely allowed them to believe those things of him, which made Esme somewhat sad. He deserved better than that. With the whole Zia issue dealt with, Reyes and Esme stood in the silence while confronted with the realization that there were more questions than answers related to what exactly they were feeling and what their persisting connection meant. But now wasn't the time to answer such queries; those would be for another day.

"I should clean up this mess. Zia was a piece of work, but it feels wrong to leave her out in the open." Reyes mused while surveying the bloody scene left behind from the ambush on him and Esme by the smugglers and Zia. He noticed that Esme stayed rooted in her spot while Liam and Jaal were already out the door. Esme arched her brow, asking a silent question of Reyes. Did he need her to stay and help? Reyes shook his head, "Go on. I'll take care of this." Esme nodded and she walked over to the open door, stopping under the frame and gripping onto the side.

"Stay safe," Esme whispered while she lingered in the doorway, not glancing over her shoulder to see Reyes' reaction to her plea. Jaal and Liam waited by the Nomad outside as Esme trotted over and opened the vehicle with SAM's controls. She glanced back at the unassuming building and caught the faint movements of Reyes' within the building, not aware that he watched her with a storm of emotions raging within him until the Nomad rumbled out of sight.


	4. The Party

The Party

Peeking her head out of her room as the automatic doors opened, Esme's eyes darted around the corridor for any signs of her crew in the vicinity. She wanted to ask SAM for an enhanced scan and visual, but stealth relied on her silence. There was a party held by Sloane down in Kadara Port and Reyes awaited her presence. If she ran into any of her crew, Esme knew they would ask questions and request to tag along when they realized who she would be accompanying. Her fingers absentmindedly tugged at her choice of attire and a small part of her felt quite insecure. She found herself dressing up for the occasion and she flushed a soft pink around the cheeks when she caught her reflection. It was like a stranger was staring back at her.

Seeing the coast clear, Esme darted out of her room and silently slipped into the corridor toward the ladders. She lifted more onto the balls of her feet to avoid the sound of her heels clicking against the floor and garnering any attention. As she moved through the abandoned corridor, Esme ruminated over Reyes' invitation to the party only hours before.

Esme reached the console where she pulled up the hologram screen and pressed the button to contact Reyes. The Pathfinder sighed while waiting for the other end to pick up, hoping Reyes brought good news rather than bad. After receiving an email from Reyes asking her to 'call him,' Esme couldn't help herself. She had a long day out in the badlands of Kadara with fixing the final monolith, resetting the vault, and dealing with dodging gunfire from the Outcasts and Collective alike. If anything, Esme could use some good news at that time. The call patched through and a holographic image of Reyes appeared beside her without Esme noticing.

"Ryder, I was just thinking about you." Reyes chuckled, the huskiness of his voice and the heady blend of his accent slipping through the screen to give Esme goosebumps along her arms underneath her armor. Esme stifled a laugh of her own by discreetly biting down on her lip. She glanced up from the screen and toward the hologram of Reyes standing a few feet from her.

"I'd love to hear more, Vidal, but this isn't a private channel." Esme purred back and she catches the faint sound of Reyes chuckling. Esme relaxes into a small smile while admiring his hologram, a departure from her favorite smirking expression she used to unnerve people.

"I could tell you over drinks?" Reyes proposed and that caught Esme's attention, leading to her signaling for Reyes to elaborate. "Sloane's holding a get-together for the locals. I managed to snag an invite. Care to be my plus one?" Reyes offered and Esme studied his hologram with intrigue. How did Reyes seemingly know what she needed? Esme chewed on her lower lip and glanced down at the console.

"Are you asking me out?" Esme inquired with her lips twitching into a smirk at the thought. She leaned against the edge of the table and pensively gazed at Reyes' holographic image and wondered if he could hear the genuine surprise breaking through her teasing or how she felt her cheeks warm at the idea.

"I promise to be a perfect gentleman," Reyes promised charmingly with his typical seductive spin added to his words. Esme raised her brow and she resisted the urge to laugh. Reyes might say that, but he was ever the rebel that parents worried about their little girls running off with. Reyes was cunning and charming with connections in Kadara.

"And if I don't want you to be a gentleman?" Esme interjected knowingly and the soft whisper of her voice piqued Reyes' interest. It was always a cat and mouse game between him and the Pathfinder, which was his favorite game. However, Esme was different from all those in the past for the sole reason that she could keep him on his toes with a witty response or a quirk of those full, pouty lips of hers into a knowing smirk.

"That can be arranged." Reyes, hardly missing a beat, declared and the faint markings of a growl emerging from his lips made Esme grip the edge of the table a little tighter. She frequently pushed the buttons of others with her no-nonsense demeanor, but she felt out of her element with Reyes. It was he who pushed all the right buttons with Esme and that made it hard for her to think straight. Like a master poker player, he never gave her any indication of his intentions and his casual attitude always left her guessing. Esme was the type to take risks after informed decisions rather than impulsivity, but something about Reyes made her throw all caution to the wind. Her crew noticed and they seemed less than thrilled with Reyes and Esme's interactions, but Esme never lived her life based on others.

"I'd never say no to free drinks…" Esme coyly responded, not wanting to give herself away so easily. Pretty smiles and seductive eyes could easily hide the insecurities she tucked into her ribcage to stay away. Esme flicked her ponytail back and she smirked at Reyes' holographic image, returning to her confident persona that came with the job of Pathfinder.

"Especially from Sloane's reserve. I'll meet you outside Outcast HQ." Reyes instructed and flashed Esme a wink and grin before the communication ended. Esme closed the terminal and walked to her quarters distractedly. She wandered into the room and closed the door behind her, remembering that she had something from her life back in the Milky Way she could wear.

Esme reached the ladder and glanced to both sides of her before reaching out to the first rung. She heard a creak from behind her and her racing heart hoped that noise was from the ship, not someone standing behind her. However, Esme should've known her luck better than that.

"Ryder, is that you?" Esme stopped in her tracks when she heard Cora's stunned voice call out to her and nearly cursed aloud; she had been caught. She turned around to see her entire crew gathered behind her and gawking at her with slack jaws and wide eyes. There was no way that the woman standing in front of them was Esme Ryder, Pathfinder and wisecrack extraordinaire. Esme turned around and a gasp actually escaped Peebee's mouth, which she promptly slapped her hand over.

"Hey everyone," Esme nonchalantly greeted her crew and crossed her arms over her chest, trying to maintain her composure. She still had the situation under control; all she had to do was roll with the punches and adapt quickly. She would play it off professional and relaxed.

"You're… dressed-up." Liam lamely remarked and rubbed at the back of his neck awkwardly at how the sight of Esme made him feel warm. She hardly looked like the trailblazing and witty Pathfinder he was accustomed to seeing and more like the kind of beauty that would stop his overactive mind from racing if he spotted her in a pub back in the Milky Way. The crew of the Tempest surveyed Esme's look: a champagne-colored dress with see-through and lace bodice, golden high heels, and her brunette waves loose around her armpits instead of the high ponytail she sported. Separate from Cora, none on the Tempest had seen Esme with her hair down, let alone all dolled up. Liam cleared his throat when he realized he was staring for a while, "Are you going somewhere?"

"I'm following a lead in Kadara." Esme declared firmly while sneaking glances toward the bridge where she would exit the ship. Jaal noticed that Esme's foot impatiently tapped against the floor and factored in where her glances were directed. He already had some clue as to who the Pathfinder might be visiting in her attire; a certain Kadaran smuggler came to mind.

"Dressed like that?" Gil gruffly questioned while glancing up and down her outfit. Must be one hell of a lead for the Pathfinder to dress-up to the nines. Esme cleared her throat and straightened her posture, a small sliver of her Pathfinder persona slipping back into place. That was the Esme Ryder the crew knew, cunning and pragmatic with a hint of a sarcastic streak.

"Yes. Sloane Kelly is holding a party and I was invited as a plus one. I hope to uncover some more intel on the Outcasts, the Collective, the Charlatan, or anything happening in Kadara that might assist in the establishment of an outpost here. If I'm lucky, information on how to grapple power from Sloane would be the best material I could find." Esme informed them and hoped they would accept her explanation at face value. She didn't want to be late meeting Reyes for the event.

"Who invited you?" Vetra questioned, knowing that Sloane despised Esme after their first encounter with the Pathfinder's snarky comments slicing Sloane's icy demeanor and growing ego to shreds. People were executed for less in Sloane's world. That ruled out anyone who was employed by Sloane and Sloane herself, which didn't leave many options.

"Probably that son of a bitch smuggler Reyes Vidal." Liam snarled and Esme couldn't help the flash of emotion that conjured in her eyes when hearing Reyes' name so callously escape from Liam. Reyes was steadily becoming their ally, which the Initiative desperately needed in Kadara. Sloane's personal grudge with Esme and her organization could have them killed. Reyes' assistance and stream of information prevented that. Not to mention, Reyes Vidal could be a damn charming bastard when he felt like it with those amber eyes of his and his accented voice, making her turn red when he teased her. Liam and the others noticed the pinkness of her cheeks and the impulsive anger in her eyes, which caused him to scoff irately. "I thought so."

"Anyways, I'll return later." Esme brushed off any more comments about her discovered company and turned to the ladder, which she deftly scaled with heels on and walked to the bridge of the ship to enter Kadara port. Brushing off the looks of concern and shock from her crew and throwing them into the abyss of her mind, Esme brushed her hair behind her shoulders and held her chin up high. "Look alive, Ryder."

"Reyes Vidal instructed you to meet him at Outcast HQ." SAM reminded Esme over their private channel and Esme nodded as she stepped onto the landing area of Kadara Port, taking in the late afternoon skyline and the oddly bustling atmosphere of the criminal settlement. The second she stepped off the Tempest, Esme garnered several stares from Kadara residents and visitors alike. They knew who she was and the sight of her, dolled up, stunned them as much as it stunned her crew.

"Thank you, SAM," Esme replied and she marched through Kadara Port, straight for Outcast HQ where she met with Sloane before. The afternoon turned the sky a light blue, but the beginnings of sunset poked out from the horizon in a mixture of brilliant pinks, oranges, and yellows. Esme felt the faint breeze brush around her legs while walking past Kadara residents. She listened to the sound of market chatter, propaganda for the Outcasts and Collective, and the sound of ships taking off in the sky mingling together. Esme briskly strolled into the HQ and headed for the door standing between her and the party when a guard with a datapad stepped in between her and the door.

"Hold up. This is a private event." The guard proclaimed and stared at Esme expectantly, waiting for her to provide her name so he could check the list. Sloane was quite particular about who she allowed into these events and he would rather stay off Sloane's bad side.

"Name's Ryder. Human Pathfinder. I'm kind of a big deal." Esme informed with a smirk and a small part of her looked forward to a night off from her duties. She imagined indulging a few drinks and pissing Sloane off by being there, the latter of which brought her immense joy. However, Reyes accompanying her on this… date was the best perk of all.

"There's no Ryder on the list." The guard gruffly declared and glanced up from his datapad to glare at Esme, silently warning her to get lost before he lost his patience. She was sure dressed up nice, but he would not let Sloane have his head if he let in someone not invited. Esme sensed that the guard might get hostile with her and she considered enlisting SAM to contact Reyes to inquire his current location when she heard someone clear their throat behind her. She didn't realize Reyes strolled right up behind her and witnessed the whole encounter, glaring at the Outcast guard with a cutting scowl.

"She's with me." Esme glanced over her shoulder and made direct eye contact with Reyes, who appeared momentarily stunned. Reyes' prided himself on being a man good with words and charm, but that faltered when he caught sight of Esme in that dress. She was a vision in champagne and gold; the visage of the luxuries belonging to a rich man. Reyes' eyes trailed up and down Esme's figure before turning to the guard, remembering what he needed to say. "Reyes Vidal," Reyes supplied his name to the guard and figured that should earn them entrance to the party. Esme glanced down at the floor while the guard scrolled through his datapad, spotting the name 'Reyes Vidal' at the top of the list.

"Go on in," The guard confirmed, but Reyes was already walking past him by that point. Esme nodded in acknowledgment and fell into step with Reyes beside her. Catching the flash of color in his peripheral vision, Reyes swallowed at the lump in his throat. Reyes and Esme walked into the party together, taking in the thumping base and relatively small gathered group milling about the Outcasts' headquarters. In the corner, Esme caught sight of Sloane angrily drinking and rolling her eyes at whatever conversation she was half-engaged in. She hardly realized that Reyes' hand settled on the small of her back and guided her into the party until she felt his fingers press against her back. Esme nearly bit down on her tongue out of shock, but she made no indication to Reyes to remove his hand.

"Reyes Vidal. I was beginning to think you wouldn't show." The woman commented and placed her hands on her hips when she noticed Reyes walking into the party. Reyes turned to her and nodded in a greeting.

"Remember what I said about 'fashionably late'?" Reyes jested to the Angaran woman with a casual shrug and his typical smirk. However, she was more interested in the beautiful woman hanging on the smuggler's arm that she could only assume was Esme Ryder, the Pathfinder from the Nexus. She could not imagine anyone else that Reyes would bring after speaking so highly of Pathfinder Ryder.

"Shush… introduce me to your companion." She demanded and gestured to Esme with barely hidden interest laced into her feline eyes and Esme nodded at her kindly. Reyes glanced over at Esme, who seemed more than willing for him to introduce her.

"Pathfinder, meet Keema Dohrgun, the Angaran representative to Sloane… and a friend." Reyes introduced Esme and his hand slipped away from the small of her back. Esme nearly opened her mouth to protest the lost contact, but she stopped herself from doing so. Instead, she focused on Keema Dohrgun with a polite, small smile and a firm handshake. Keema accepted her handshake, a gesture she respected.

"I didn't think Reyes had friends. Only contacts and colleagues." Esme remarked with light teasing laced into her words. Reyes could be all business sometimes and his line of work didn't usually allow for friendships to form compared to allegiances through contacts, clients, and other smugglers.

"Oh, I'm those as well. Who do you think secured him an invitation to this event?" Keema questioned and she shared a brief laugh with Esme, who found herself amused by the discomforted bristling of Reyes next to her. He was embarrassed by the teasing and Esme chewed on her lower lip. Keema studied Esme with a twinkle in her eye, "I was hoping he'd bring you, Pathfinder. You're all he talks about lately."

"Is that so?" Esme pondered aloud, but the thought caused her heart to race like a ship flying at hyperspeed. From how loud it thundered in her chest, she was surprised no one else could hear it. Reyes spoke about her? Now, all she wanted to know was what he said about her to Keema. Esme contemplated asking when she heard Reyes clear his throat, effectively ending that thought.

"Sorry to cut this short, but I need to take care of something." Reyes informed the two, but more for Esme than Keema. Esme's head turned toward Reyes and she arched her brow at his statement.

"Abandoning me, already? I didn't expect you to be the type, Vidal." Esme inquired with the intention of sounding bemusedly unfazed by Reyes' sudden decision, but the sentence felt hollower than she intended it to. What could be so crucial that Reyes was abandoning her at this party he invited her to? Esme could n1ot think of a single thing that she would leave someone she'11s interested in for.

"It won't take long. There are important players here tonight. You should mingle. Make a good impression." Reyes assured before he suggested the latter part to Esme and she shook her head, understanding that he was right about mingling.

"You treat all your dates this way or am I special?" Esme murmured low enough for only Reyes to hear her and Reyes breathed out lightly. He knew that his sudden departure was a little suspicious, but he did have some important business to handle. Hopefully, Esme would understand his intentions after he got one of the things he came here for.

"I'll make it up to you… promise." Reyes declared as he walked off, watching as Esme turned away from him. Esme glanced down and off to the side, fidgeting with her hair. Reyes threw around that word promise so often and a small part of Esme wondered who else Reyes promised things so simple but felt so lofty to ask. She came to this party to be with him and he was already ditching her for something important. Did she matter at all or was she something for him to play with when he was bored or lonely? Esme returned to the real world when she heard Keema sigh.

"…And there he goes." Keema mused and watched as Reyes walked out of the room, but not before glancing longingly at Esme. She watched as the smuggler's eyes trace the Pathfinder with a look that went beyond a mere lustful infatuation. That was not something she expected from Reyes, but she could see how the Pathfinder captivated him; she was someone unlike what the world of Kadara could provide. "I am sure he won't be long."

"Any idea what he's up to?" Esme questioned Keema, hoping that she might have some insight into Reyes' motivations. Esme continually glanced over to where Reyes disappeared to and a small part of her broached the idea of following him. Esme dissuaded the idea and talked her suspicions down by thinking she should give Reyes some time before she became upset. He promised he would be back and that it was important.

"It's better not to worry about what Reyes does. Enjoy the party." Keema suggested and she walked off to make conversation with some of the other guests. After a quick glance around, Esme settled on the sight of the bar. Esme strolled through the crowd of people, talking in small clusters, and she noticed how people's stares lingered on her. Unintentionally, Esme realized she had been swaying her hips with every step and that resulted in accumulation of wolf whistles and murmured comments directed her way by partygoers. Esme ignored them as she approached the bar and the bartender slid over to her with a renewed interest in the party from her bored stance.

"Give me the strongest stuff you've got back there." Esme declared without hesitation and she watched at the bartender pour a neon pink liquid into a glass and slide it to her across the counter. Esme nodded graciously for the drink and knocked it back with the ease of a shot. She relished in the potency of her drink and cracked her neck with a hum. She placed the glass on the counter before sending a tip to the bartender. Esme leaned against the bar and surveyed her surroundings with feigned interest. She could see unfamiliar faces in the crowd. She caught Sloane's eye from across the room and gave a little smirk when she witnessed Sloane's jaw tighten in rage. Oh, how satisfying for her to worm her way under Sloane's skin once more; Esme relished the feeling often.

Nearly twenty minutes passed since Esme last saw Reyes and by that point, she was tired of waiting around for whatever was taking him so damn long. So, Esme tracked down Keema and pulled her to the side after she finished conversing with some friends… or clients.

"Good to see you again, Pathfinder." Keema declared when she noticed Esme approach her with a stern expression, masking her internal conflict.

"Have you seen Reyes?" Esme inquired somewhat anxiously since Reyes' disappearance could mean one of two things: he was more preoccupied with whatever task he was currently dealing with than spending time with her or danger.

"No, but I'm sure he'll be back soon." Keema shook her head and she cocked her head to the side, gazing at Esme. Esme glanced at her with mild confusion written in her features. Keema titled her head in the direction Reyes traveled earlier, "He likes you…"

"Huh? I-" Esme stammered but quickly clammed up when she realized how her voice transcended up an octave in pitch and her face flushed with some redness at the thought. First, Keema told her Reyes was talking about her and now that he liked her. But with the mixed signals and constant flirting from Reyes, Esme felt quite confused about where she stood.

"And you like him too… How quaint." Keema laughed in good nature at how Esme reacted to her observation. Reyes liked to think he was so suave and unreadable, but Keema could see the difference in him when he looked at Esme. He looked at her like he would steal all the stars out of the Andromeda galaxy for her to smile at him. His eyes lingered on her a little longer than strictly platonic, business, or the passing fancy of a minor fling. No, Reyes Vidal felt something profound for this woman, Esme Ryder, and Keema hoped he would come to his senses and stop dancing around it before Esme walked away. Esme swallowed and she glanced over to where Reyes disappeared earlier.

"Nice talking to you, Keema." Esme nodded and she walked off toward the back of the compound. After a few minutes of walking, Esme found herself in a virtually abandoned part of the Outcast compound. She overheard some rustling coming from an open room that appeared to be a storage housing of some sort. As she drew closer, she heard a familiar accent cursing incoherently under his breath. Esme found Reyes and she planned on giving him a piece of her mind.

"Damn it! Why can't the serial numbers be in the same spot?" Reyes muttered to himself as he rifled through Sloane's belongings with such honed focus that he didn't notice Esme found him. Esme stared at him and wondered what he could possibly be looking for that was that important.

"Take the night off. Come out for a drink… I should've known you were up to something." Esme scoffed and Reyes' head whipped in her direction to see the Pathfinder leaning in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest. Her usual dry sarcasm was present, but it felt more biting than usual. Reyes watched as she strolled closer and saw her eyes, noticing something off about them. Was she hurt that he left her at the party?

"Ryder, it's not what it looks like." Reyes held his hands up, but his face was one of slight guilt. Esme stared him down angrily and she raised her brow, silently questioning if Reyes denied that this was exactly what it looked like. She wasn't his date, more like bait for attention.

"So, you didn't use me as a distraction to go through Sloane's stuff?" Esme rhetorically questioned because she and Reyes both knew that this was exactly what it seemed to be. Esme felt a little deflated by the whole mess and Reyes took in her expression with a sigh of defeat. He had been caught.

"Okay, yes. But it's for both our benefits! I promise." Reyes assured, but Esme clenched her jaw at the use of the word 'promise' once more. Reyes Vidal was the type of man who seemed to be good at making promises but even better at breaking said promises. Esme stepped closer to Reyes, who stood firm in his spot and his eyes searched hers.

"You've been making a lot of promises, Vidal." Esme declared with a scowl, face to face with Reyes. The limited space between them threatened to set Esme ablaze, but she remained firm. She was disappointed and felt let down by Reyes, feeling like he only liked her when she was useful for him. Amber clashed with green in a shower of sparks, the less than an inch height difference from Esme's choice of heels coming into play. Reyes seemed to be preparing a reply when he glanced over at the open door and heard the faint sound of footsteps that could only mean a patrolling guard.

"Shit-! Someone's coming! We need a distraction." Reyes cursed and no sooner than those words escaped him, Esme curled her arms around Reyes' body and pressed her lips to his insistently. Esme felt Reyes tense for a millisecond but his body melted into her touch when one of her hands knotted into his hair around the nape of his neck and the other rested along his back. His hands gripped at her hips while he fully reciprocated the kiss with unbridled fervor, accompanied by some hushed groans that made it feel so real for Esme and Reyes. The choice of distraction might work a little too well because Reyes knew he would be thinking about the feel of Esme's lips long after they were gone. Esme almost gasped against his lips; she wondered why Reyes had to be the type to be a life-ruiningly good kisser on top of everything else. Reyes squeezing her hips brought out a soft moan from her lips and without even thinking about it, Reyes scooped under one leg and shifted his hips closer to Esme's—pressing against her. Esme's body trembled slightly and she squeezed her shut eyes tighter, suddenly feeling quite dizzy. Her grip on Reyes tightened and he followed her lead when he slung her leg around his hip. Neither Esme nor Reyes registered the fact that a woman entered the room after hearing voices since she was on-duty and patrolling. She walked into the sight of Esme and Reyes, tangled together in a kiss.

"Oh!" The woman exclaimed when she spotted Esme and Reyes enraptured in each other, waiting for some reaction. After a couple of seconds of watching Esme and Reyes and seeing that they hadn't broken their kiss or acknowledged her, she cleared her throat and backed out of the room. "Sorry…" When the woman was out of sight and hopefully earshot, Reyes pulled back from the kiss. His chest constricted when his lips parted from Esme's in bitter reluctance.

"I think we're in the clear," Reyes stated and Esme watched Reyes staring over at the door in vigilance and cleared her throat lightly to grab his attention. Reyes caught the sight of Esme with her brow raised and those lips of hers pressed into a pout.

"Maybe another kiss? Just to be sure?" Esme whispered, unsure if she was genuinely concerned about maintaining a cover. Esme's eyes traced up Reyes' features slowly and her heartbeat quickened when she realized he was doing the same. Reyes stared into her eyes and he realized how easily it would be to kiss Esme again. He didn't know if the distraction was the result of ingenious, quick thinking or something greater and now, Reyes feared what he might feel if he overstepped his own tendency of keeping flirting casual and with no-strings attached.

"Now, you're just teasing me." Reyes murmured, covering his uncertainty with bravado and charm like he always did. Esme chuckled, but she wondered what the worth of contradicting Reyes' assumption might be. Esme released her grip on Reyes' body and watched as he deftly climbed up a ladder to an open crate and rummaged around. After a couple of seconds, Reyes let out a triumphant cheer and brandished a bottle of what appeared to be whiskey into the air. "Finally! Here it is!" Reyes exclaimed and he jumped down from the ladder.

"That's what this was all about? Whiskey?" Esme questioned while staring at Reyes with slight disbelief in her eyes and tone. All the sneaking around for a simple bottle of whiskey when there was an open bar at the party made Esme feel perplexed.

"The only bottle of Mount Milgrom in Andromeda. Triple distilled and six-hundred forty-five years old. This isn't whiskey—it's treasure." Reyes explained to a less than impressed Esme, whose expression softened slightly and she gestured at the bottle with a discreet wetting of her lips.

"I hope you're planning on sharing." Esme managed a grin and Reyes' eyes twinkled with mischief, which could only mean that an idea was brewing in that mind of his that spelled out trouble. Esme grinned at him when he approached and grabbed her hand in his.

"We'll see… Let's get out of here." Reyes declared and tugged Esme out of the storage room behind him and the two brushed past people gathered for the party. Esme laughed at the stunned expressions as she and Reyes sprinted by them and out of the Outcast headquarters unceremoniously. Bursting out into the Kadara Port marketplace, Reyes guided Esme toward the staircase and a less populated portion of the market. They moved through the crowd with purpose, although Esme merely was at Reyes' mercy and had no clue of where he intended to take her.

"Reyes! Where are we going?" Esme questioned while following after Reyes and Reyes smirked at the sound of her airy laughter bubbling from her lips. He clutched her hand tightly in his when he reached a set of stairs hidden from most people that led up to a rooftop view over the marketplace. Esme's breath caught when she stared out over the view and Reyes found himself by bemused by her speechless reaction to the scenery. He brought Esme to some stacked crates and the two of them settled on top of them. Reyes opened the bottle of whiskey and wordlessly handed the stolen treasure to Esme first. She accepted the bottle with a gracious smile and a brush of her hand against Reyes' that she swore felt like electricity from a live wire.

"Gorgeous, isn't it? I sometimes forget." Reyes mused while staring out at the sunset while Esme sipped at the whiskey, straight from the bottle. The burn tickled against her throat and Esme nursed the bottle against her chest after a drawn-out swig. She didn't realize Reyes glanced over at her and admired how the fading light of the setting sun bathed her in a golden halo. Dare he say it, but to Reyes, Esme looked heavenly. He questioned, "Is Andromeda everything you hoped it would be?"

"Every day's an adventure. Even my nights off are interesting. There were some bumps in the road to get here and nothing started off to plan, but that's to be expected. There are moments of triumph and others where defeat looms over everything my father worked toward. I shoulder the burden of his legacy and his dream for the Imitative." Esme remarked and shook her head when she realized she was delving into something a little too deep for her at the moment. Esme glanced over toward the Kadara market below her and Reyes and listened to the hustle and bustle. "What about you? Why did you come here, Reyes?" Esme inquired while she pressed the bottle into Reyes' open hand. She watched as he took the bottle and stared at it in contemplation. Esme's question could refer to many things: Andromeda? Kadara? The rooftop they sat on with her as his company?

"To be someone," Reyes remarked after a palpable pause where he sipped from the bottle of whiskey. Esme took in his words with bated breath and a pang of familiarity. How often did she wonder if Andromeda was the key to finding herself? Perhaps she and Reyes were less different than she initially thought. Sitting beside Reyes on the roof, Esme felt oddly content. Maybe this is what she was missing? She turned her body to face Reyes's and her fingertips ghosted over his knuckles before pulling back.

"You're someone to me," Esme replied sincerely and Reyes lowered the whiskey bottle from his lips and swallowed roughly. He faced Esme and stared deep into her eyes, entranced by the possibilities he saw within them. The way she looked at him like he was an honest and worthy man made him feel conflicted. In his line of work, Reyes learned firsthand never to form attachments. But Esme Ryder, the Pathfinder who turned his whole world upside down, threatened to usurp those lessons with another reassurance falling from her lips or glance that softened when she spotted him. He might regret this later on, but Reyes knew that he wanted what Esme promised in those eyes… praying that she was faithful to her promises.

"I'm starting to think that kiss was more than just a distraction," Reyes whispered while his hand brushed against Esme's cheek and tilted her head toward his. Esme rested her hand atop his and fluttered her lashes at Reyes, who suddenly felt like he lost control of his emotions. Reyes wanted to be closer to Esme; he needed to be. He leaned in close and Esme mirrored his movements to where their lips were less than an inch apart.

Teetering along the edge, Reyes and Esme simultaneously caved in to bring their lips together in a passionate kiss. Esme moaned softly and Reyes crushed Esme closer to him on instinct, desperately needing to be pressed against her. They could taste the whiskey on each other's tongues but neither minded in the slightest, feeling drunk on the sensation of the mutual desire built up between them rather than the stolen bottle of alcohol; no drink in the Milky Way or Andromeda galaxies could make Reyes Vidal or Esme Ryder feel as light as sharing a kiss would. Feeling particularly bold, Esme threw her leg over Reyes' legs and settled into a straddle across his lap without breaking the embrace of their lips. She was kissing Reyes Vidal and God did it feel so damn good. Reyes' arms wrapped around her lower back and hips to keep her stable while his teeth snagged Esme's lower lip. If they weren't in public, Reyes knew he would've taken this as far as Esme let him.

"If that's your way of making up for earlier, I happily accept that as proper compensation," Esme whispered while her fingers brushed through Reyes' dark hair tenderly, making Reyes smirk. A low, husky chuckle rumbled in his chest and Esme felt the vibrations from her close contact with the scoundrel. She would have to call him her scoundrel now, wouldn't she? Somehow, the thought made Esme feel uncharacteristically giddy. Reyes cupped the side of her face and drew her lips back into another passionate, breath-snatching kiss that made Esme nearly swoon. She was no innocent lamb by any measure, but Reyes had this charm that made her feel like caving in. Esme's arms curled around Reyes' shoulders and she fully reciprocated the kiss with everything she had. Reyes moved his lips from hers toward her neck, kissing and nipping along the skin while his warm breath contrasted the rapidly cooling of the air around them. Esme's eyes fluttered shut and she moaned delicately, making Reyes smirk against the skin. For all her talk, Esme melted into his embrace like putty… but then again, he couldn't get enough of her. Reyes buried his face in the juncture of her neck and collarbone and his voice vibrating against her skin made Esme squirm on his lap.

"It is getting late and as much as I would convince you to stay, I think your crew might worry. It's not safe walking Kadara Port alone at night, especially for someone who looks as lovely as you do. I'll escort you back to your ship." Reyes murmured and offered, which took Esme off guard. She nuzzled against his fingers cupping at her chin and bat her eyelashes at him.

"Oh? Such a gentleman, Reyes." Esme giggled in an uncharacteristically soft fashion, but the different side of Esme provoked an actual smile from Reyes. Not a self-satisfied smirk or a cocky expression, but a gentle smile. For once in his life, Reyes truly felt like someone. In Esme's eyes, he felt like someone worthy of admiration and the softness that she reserved for him.

"Don't tell anyone. I have a reputation to uphold as a shady bastard." Reyes devilishly grinned and rose from a seated position with Esme in his arms, setting her down to her feet. Esme, without prompting, linked her hand in his and intertwined their fingers together. Reyes, although surprised by the gesture, didn't pull away. Grabbing the half-full bottle of whiskey in his free hand, Reyes and Esme headed down from the rooftop via the stairs and walked through Kadara Port, past the unsuspecting strangers who hardly glanced their way except to stare at Esme. Reyes couldn't stop sneaking glances at Esme, who smiled gently and her face glowed. The way she stared out ahead of them with her eyes focused on the distantly setting sun made Reyes feel something different than his usual attraction to a fling. Esme Ryder was no fling to him; she meant more than that and he knew it. There was no denying that his feelings were past a burgeoning attraction or a mere lustful infatuation, which made him nervous and thrilled.

They walked up to the dock until the two reached the edge of the Tempest's ramp with Reyes stopping Esme from walking up right away. He leaned in and Esme gravitated toward him, tumbling freely into another kiss—a parting gesture until she saw him again. Esme would see him again and soon, she swore it. So long as she could shake her companions. The kiss was over far sooner than either Esme or Reyes liked, but they understood it was time.

"Goodnight, Reyes," Esme whispered to him while she rested her forehead against his and reveled in the sensation of his hands roaming in small circles up and down her hips. Green eyes flickered open to study his amber ones that admired her with such intensity.

"Goodnight Esme," Reyes replied and Esme stared at him with awe to hear her name, not Ryder, escape him with such softness. Her heartbeat quickened and she could not deny that Reyes had her so wholly enchanted with him. Esme stepped backwards a few paces before turning around to face her ship and walked up the ramp to the doors. She activated SAM to gain entrance onto the ship but glanced at Reyes from over her shoulder to where he remained at the bottom of the ramp. He smiled at her and the fading light from the sky made him seem more like a dream, leaving Esme wondering if she imagined the whole thing. Esme heard the doors open and she gave her smuggler a final wink and wave before walking onto her ship. She walked past several members of her crew, who noted the distracted grin she sported, as she slipped into her room and shut the rest of the world out.


	5. The Duel

The Duel

It was supposed to be Esme's day off since the crew docked in Kadara after a couple weeks away, and the Pathfinder planned on seeing Reyes again. She even dressed for the occasion in a jumpsuit whose neckline plunged low and flattered her form with a flared out, mini cape. However, those plans were dashed when the Tempest received a transmission from Sloane. She moved through the Kadaran marketplace with a steeled glare, knowing that all eyes were on her. She marched up to the Outcast Headquarters with annoyance written all over her face. She received a cryptic and demanding message from Sloane that requested her presence at once. Part of her seriously considered ignoring the message for a couple days, but she was having one of her responsible moments and figured seeing what Sloane wanted would be better to handle earlier. Entering the HQ, Esme expected to encounter Outcast guards at their posts or milling about in the hallways. But, to Esme's surprise, the halls were empty and eerily silent. That set off several warning sirens in her mind and Esme wished she came down with her pistol like she debated earlier on the Tempest. The emptiness screamed trap and Esme cursed not trusting herself. She strode forward and reached the automated double doors that led to Sloane. Pulling out her omni-tool, Esme gave SAM the command to bypass the doors.

The doors whooshed open and revealed a nearly empty room, except for Sloane sitting in her makeshift throne. The heel of Esme's boot clicked against the tile flooring as she approached Sloane, who watched her blankly. She expected a glare or some reaction as opposed to the pile of nothing from Kadara's leader. Esme crossed her arms over her chest and shifted her weight between her feet unnerved for a moment. She settled down and cleared her throat.

"Where is everybody?" Esme questioned, and Sloane narrowed her eyes at Ryder when she perceived to be veritable mockery in her voice. Her blood boiled; today was not the day to push her buttons and Esme loved pushing buttons with her.

"I told them all to get out of my sight," Sloane growled brusquely, slouching in her chair and looking downright miserable. Esme surveyed the sight of an isolated woman, and she nearly clicked her tongue, mockingly pointing out the touchiness of Sloane's response.

"Take it someone pissed you off." Esme mused aloud while she tried her best to keep from showing her amusement about the whole situation. Seeing the empty room with only Sloane and her in it, Esme knew that Sloane felt somewhat on edge. She held back demanding Sloane cut to the chase and explain the cryptic message after she noticed a flicker of lividity in Sloane's multi-colored eyes. Sloane's fingers gripped into the arm of her chair roughly and she bared her teeth in a snarl.

"The Charlatan used my own people to beat up Kaetus. He's alive—barely." Sloane revealed tensely and huffed, leaning back in her seat. Sloane appeared genuinely distraught by the turn of events. Esme's lips pursed into a thin line and she raised her brow. From her interactions with him, Kaetus acted cautiously around her. Still, Esme was privy to some of his less admirable qualities. She read his memo to the Outcasts; such an assault was likely to occur at some point from the number of enemies he and Sloane made. More than anything, Esme wondered if Sloane recognized the walls were closing in on her and her little empire over Kadara… its days were numbered.

"The Charlatan's using Kaetus to put you on edge… and by the looks of things, I would say it's working as intended." Esme declared matter-of-factly with no audible amusement taken at Sloane's dissatisfaction from what the exile could hear. By the way Sloane tensed up, Esme half expected Sloane to launch herself at her or threaten her in some manner. She might be holding herself together for the moment. Still, Sloane was a ticking time bomb with a rapidly decreasing countdown clock. She would explode one of these days; sooner rather than later from how the tide of the war shifted in favor of the Collective.

"I know that." Sloane sharply hissed at the Pathfinder, but she knew that Esme was right. The Charlatan wanted her to feel afraid by isolating her and turning her own men against her. As much as it pained her to admit it, Sloane needed Esme's help. Sloane sighed, "I didn't call you here for a pity party."

"Then why did you call me here?" Esme inquired while she narrowed her eyes at Sloane suspiciously. Now they were getting to the vital information that Esme wanted. Since her arrival in Kadara, her interactions with Sloane have been nothing short of adversarial in nature. Sloane wanted to be rid of the Pathfinder to keep her from threatening her monopoly of authority in Kadara. Now she suddenly wanted Esme around? That reeked of something shady, which wasn't too off-brand for someone like Sloane.

"The Charlatan left a note on Kaetus' body. He wants to settle things between us. The meeting spot is in Draullir." Sloane informed, and that particular tidbit piqued Esme's interest in the whole debacle. Revealing their identity to anyone seemed counterintuitive to the Charlatan's previous actions in the war for Kadara Port. More importantly, Sloane said 'he' and not 'they,' which meant that she speculated or knew the Charlatan was a male.

"He? How do you know it's a he?" Esme questioned and Sloane seemed to dodge her inquiry with pointed silence. Esme knew when she was being stonewalled and figured her unofficial interrogation would be better spent working another angle. She raised her brow at Sloane's eagerness to accept this offer and missing the obvious clues that it was an ambush of sorts. "It could be a trap."

"You think? I can't trust my own people, but you—you're an outsider." Sloane mused and her eyes settled on Esme with a knowing look. Esme knew exactly what Sloane implied and she tempered back the urge to scoff. Of course, Sloane wasn't acting her usual egocentric self because she needed Esme's help.

"So, you want me to take your side in the conflict," Esme concluded and awaited Sloane's confirmation or denial of her theorized involvement, which she received through the nearly imperceptible nod of Sloane's head. How amusing that Sloane was crawling to her for protection when she shunned her Nexus connections beforehand. Esme shrugged noncommittally, "Like you said, I'm an outsider. Not sure I want to get involved."

"If you want an Initiative presence on Kadara, you'll be there." Sloane aggressively declared and Esme wanted to question if that was a threat. The two women glared at each other spitefully until Sloane glanced down at her omni-tool. She fiddled with the holographic screen for a second before she rose from her chair. Esme's omni-tool chimed with a set of navpoints that she guessed was the location where Sloane and the Charlatan were slated to meet. Without another word, Sloane marched toward the door and passed Esme by, her actions sending a clear message. However, Esme was never one to comply with a threat like that.

_"Be careful, Sloane,"_ Esme thought as she watched Sloane exit the room and leave her in the emptiness to ponder helping her. _"If I hold the fate of this exchange in my hands, I better see a damn good reason. The fact still remains that the Charlatan's motives remain a mystery to me. He… They might be Kadara's new ruler."_

_"Pathfinder, Sloane seems insistent that you side with her, but I can tell that you don't want to,"_ SAM stated over their private channel and Esme managed a chuckle at how perceptive her AI was. She would have to blame her dad for strengthening their SAM beyond what other SAM implants could sense.

"We have to go to this meeting. The Charlatan has their side of the equation and this might be my chance to figure out just what they desire out of this conflict." Esme replied and SAM seemed content with her answer since there was a reasonable period of silence. That allowed Esme to consider and mull over her options. Although she and Sloane were far from allies, Esme would show to the meeting. The war's end was on the horizon and she planned on working with whoever came out on top. Returning to the marketplace, Esme utilized a shortcut back to the docks and boarded the Tempest without stopping. Esme stalked back toward her quarters on the Tempest and her crew, hanging around the galley, appeared startled to see her back so soon. Esme gestured for Jaal and Cora to follow her into another room with a two-finger point directed toward her private quarters. Glancing at each other wordlessly, Jaal and Cora followed her and stepped inside Esme's private quarters, the automatic door closing behind the three.

"Ryder, what is it?" Cora questioned, concerned by the grimace Esme wore. Although the two started off with a rocky relationship with Cora's dismay that Esme was named Alec's successor to the Pathfinder position when Cora trained for it longer, they gradually moved past that to become friends. The two set aside their differences early on when Cora realized that Esme was suited for the role—better than she would have been.

"I received a message from Sloane earlier that demanded a meeting. Turns out that the Charlatan just maneuvered into the prime position to strike as he used Sloane's own men to turn on Kaetus and beat him to the brink of death. He left a note behind that challenged Sloane to settle things. She is on her way to confront him in the badlands and she requested that I come along to back her up." Esme explained to her closest companions on the Tempest and watched their eyes widen. They didn't expect the Charlatan's sudden promise to end the war either.

"What do you plan to do?" Jaal inquired with his intelligent, feline eyes settling on Esme; he could see her considering their options. Her eyes darted back and forth while staring out at the stars through her quarter's windows.

"We're going." Esme decided and Cora nodded, preparing to suit up. Jaal and Cora left the room to suit up, leaving Esme to change into her clothing underneath her armor. Once she changed, she joined Jaal and Cora at the loadout station. They swiftly departed from the Tempest and immediately caught the lift down to the slums at the docks without venturing into town. The moment the lift touched down, Esme and her companions marched for the badlands where they could transport to a forward station close enough to the coordinates. When Esme and the others arrived at the station closest to the navpoint, she summoned the Nomad on the station console and vaulted into the driver's seat. She gripped the wheel and waited for the others to get in before she drove off toward the brewing battle in her typical, reckless fashion.

"Be ready for anything," She advised to her companions as she picked up on the chime signaling she was close to her targeted location. Esme rolled up to the navpoint given by Sloane and she composed herself. It all ended today, one way or another. Esme, Jaal, and Cora exited the Nomad and they marched to the mouth of the cave where Sloane waited with her arms crossed. She didn't give a victorious look because she knew Esme would show.

"Took your sweet time." Sloane bitterly remarked, but she relented her comment when she found herself underneath Esme's unamused glare. Rolling her eyes, Sloane crossed her arms over her chest and turned her face to the side. "Come on. Let's get this over with."

"Yes, let's." Esme retorted brusquely, knowing she wanted to get this over with as well. She and Sloane were not on the same side by any stretch of the imagination, which they both understood. Esme was here for one thing and one thing only. Stepping into the cave, Esme found herself briefly plunged into darkness and she hoped that SAM's capabilities would keep her safe until her eyes adjusted. Esme remained vigilant and walked between Sloane and her companions. After a few moments, the group stepped into the light and Esme felt some of the tension ease. Sloane marched ahead of Esme with a grim expression and hatred burning in her eyes like embers flying out of the fire. Esme exchanged glances with Cora and Jaal as Sloane led them deeper into the caves. Before Esme indulged Sloane's request, she and her crew speculated the possibility that Sloane's invitation was an underhanded trap in the making. Esme wouldn't put the idea past Sloane as she gave her no reason to trust her the moment Esme set foot in Kadara. Still, she would avoid acting upon her suspicions until viable proof emerged.

While they walked through the cave, Esme waited for any sign of the elusive Charlatan. What she didn't understand what angle they were playing at by revealing their identity to Sloane or what they sought from meeting her. Her eyes scoured the pockets of darkness alongside her companions while Sloane appeared focused on the path ahead. Eventually, Sloane and Esme and the others arrived at an outcropping of rocks where a stream of light filtered through the ceiling. Sloane stopped at the base of the rocks and Esme waited beside her, guessing that this is where they were to meet the Charlatan. Esme glanced down at her omni-tool when she sensed Sloane tense up beside her; they weren't alone.

"You look like you're waiting for someone." The familiar line is echoed by a voice Esme would know anywhere, causing her heartbeat to swiftly pick up and drum away in her ears. Her eyes darted to the cropping of rocks as Reyes emerged from the shadows, looking down at Sloane… and Esme. She wasn't supposed to be there. He maintained a blank expression, not tipping Sloane off that he developed some attachment to the Pathfinder. The last thing he wanted was Esme to get stuck in the crossfire of his and Sloane's war.

"Reyes?" Esme questioned, tempering the waver of disbelief from showing through. Years of dealing with disappointment should have made Esme immune to getting caught up in her emotions. However, that hardly stopped the breath from escaping her body and her stomach lurching when she realized the familiar sting of betrayal singing in the back of her mind. She raced through an index of excuses, but all of them reached the same conclusion that, to some degree, Reyes hid something from her.

"I'm here for the Charlatan, not some third-rate smuggler." Sloane dismissively huffed and she glanced around to see where the Charlatan was hiding. While she looked away, Esme's eyes locked with Reyes' and that single movement acted like a puzzle piece clicking in to reveal the truth hidden before her eyes. Staring down Reyes, Esme realized that the identity of the Charlatan was in front of her the entire time—even though she wished she was wrong about it.

"They're one in the same" Esme declared, her eyes never leaving Reyes' and watching as his posture confirmed her statement. Esme felt her stomach churn and she wanted to keel over with confusion. Reyes was the Charlatan? Esme shut her eyes and forced the urge to tremble to cease, _"How… how did I not see it?" _She wondered as her eyes jolted back open to study Reyes.

"Surprise." Reyes taunted, more directed toward Sloane than Esme. He caught her bright green eyes, whose fury betrayed the calmness of her expression. Reyes had seen that look on her before when she challenged Zia on his behalf and it reminded him that Esme could change the tide of this whole war should she choose to. When Esme glanced into those amber eyes, she saw past the mask Reyes wore because she knew him better than Sloane did. In him, Esme spotted the fleeting glimpses of guilt and regret directed toward her.

"The angaran spy. Your interest in the Roekaar murders. Everything you've done has been to undermine Sloane's power." Esme declared, listing all the events that led to this moment. She felt Sloane tense angrily beside her and she could see how Sloane never expected Reyes to be her faceless rival for Kadara's throne. Now that she unearthed the truth, Sloane thoroughly planned on putting that bastard down herself and making sure that it hurt like hell.

"Death by a thousand cuts," Reyes confirmed and Esme felt a surge of questions erupt into her mind, her whole world spinning. A small voice in her whispered the question she never wanted to know the answer to: _was everything between her and Reyes all a lie?_ Esme appeared like she tried to question him further, even though her crew and Sloane were watching. Esme tried to stride forward, but Sloane interjected herself into the conversation with a pointed cough.

"You said you wanted to 'settle things.' How?" Sloane inquired coolly, but her clenching fist resting against her thigh told a different story. Cora and Jaal bristled behind Esme and they could sense things were about to take an ugly turn. They glanced at Esme for some direction, but they could see how she was paralyzed to the spot and unable to decide from the way her eyes darted between Sloane and Reyes aggressively edging toward each other. There she stood between two warring sides, foaming at the mouth to end each other for good, and acted as the final barrier between bloodshed.

"A duel. You and me. Winner takes Kadara Port." Reyes described after leaping off the rock and landing perfectly on his feet. Reyes stared down Sloane as he strolled a couple of paces closer to her. Sloane narrowed her eyes, but anyone could see she was considering the solution as an adequate answer to ridding herself of the Charlatan once and for all. Esme edged forward and she nearly placed herself physically between Reyes and Sloane.

"You want to avoid war by shooting each other?" Esme interrogated disconcertedly and her heartbeat grew louder in her ears. She felt the faint familiarity of adrenaline rushing into her body and her mind raced a million miles while dealing with all her emotions. The numbness of her shock wore off and Esme fully expected hatred toward Reyes for keeping secrets to blossom within her. However, the roaring anger or the bitterness of deception pierced through. Instead, Esme felt palpable fear apprehensively churning around in her stomach and the blood drain from her face—leaving her devoid of color.

"Two people shooting each other is better than a lot of people shooting each other," Reyes responded evenly and Esme desperately wanted to argue with him, but she bit back her tongue. Her stomach lurched when she realized precisely how serious Reyes was about the duel and she worried that his bravado would end up killing him through a bullet. Their eyes met once more and Esme searched him for some sort of explanation as to why he would be so reckless. Staring back at her was a swirling vortex of pain and hunger for something out of his reach. _To be someone… _Reyes' words echoed into her mind like a ghost and she closed her eyes, feeling overwhelmed. As much as she hated to admit it, Esme understood Reyes' motivations clearly and she wondered how she ended up falling for someone that she would follow into a coup d'état. Esme was a Pathfinder, which she learned through experience was all about taking risks and the biggest one of her life unfurled before her very eyes.

"I'll take those terms." Sloane calculatedly assented and Reyes' expression hardened into a glare while Sloane squared her shoulders back, readying herself for a fight. Esme felt the pressure of a hand on her shoulder and she glanced at Jaal standing behind her with a sympathetic frown. He could sense Esme's distress radiating off her in palpable waves and he knew she worried about the smuggler's life. Sloane pushed past Esme and that kicked off her and Reyes circling around the cave. Esme stood between her companions and the dueling parties, feeling her pulse accelerate. Their hands rested in a somewhat neutral position to make for the most efficient draw. While Sloane appeared as tense as a drawn bowstring, Reyes seemed the opposite and fluid like a rushing rapid. Esme swallowed the lump residing in her throat when Reyes caught her eye once more while he circled around; she prayed that Reyes knew what he was doing. As Reyes strode past a wall of shadow, Esme noticed a faint blip of light that glinted and disappeared within a blink. She nearly shook her head, thinking she imagined it when she heard SAM enter their private channel.

_"Sniper. His sights are set on Sloane."_ SAM warned and Esme felt a chill go down her spine when she realized she could determine the fate of Kadara within the next few seconds. She held a choice in her hands: save Sloane and win her begrudging allegiance or side with Reyes' and eliminate Sloane from the picture. Shoving her feelings to the side, Esme considered the best possible outcome for Kadara, but she knew that deep down that she couldn't turn her back on Reyes. She needed answers from him, but there was true loyalty to her inside of him, she could see it. Sloane would never truly shove aside her pride to bow to the Initiative, which meant any possible alliance existed on shaky territory. Esme recalled that she described being a Pathfinder was all about taking risks and she decided that she would take a chance on Reyes for the sake of settling Kadara… and their relationship that hung in the balance.

Lifting her eyes from the ground, Esme stared at Reyes and waited for him to glance in her direction enough to catch the faint nod of her head. Through that gesture alone, Reyes knew that Esme was aware of the sniper and she wasn't going to interfere—which thoroughly shocked him. He reminded himself there was no love lost between Esme and Sloane and that might factor into her decision of who to throw her support behind. She chose him. Reyes kept a straight face to avoid Sloane catching on to the surprise awaiting her. A couple of tense, silent seconds ticked by before the sound of a gunshot reverberated throughout the cave and Esme closed her eyes while she prayed Sloane hadn't pulled the trigger on Reyes before the sniper could act.

Sloane groaned and grasped her side in shock, pulling it away to see her hands stained in the tell-tale crimson that marked Death's calling card. The unmistakable sting reverberating throughout her whole body was that of a bullet. She heard the shot go off and yet, there was no gun in Reyes' hand. She glanced at Esme, also empty-handed, to see an icy cold cruelty flicker in her eyes. Esme's face remained impassive as she strode up to Reyes and she rested her hand on his shoulder, a gesture of intimacy that Sloane quickly picked up on. Sloane glared at Esme with her dying breaths and Esme appeared mostly unfazed, except for the faint ghost of a smile tugging the corner of her lips upward. So, Ryder knew about the sniper? Perhaps Ryder knew about the Charlatan's identity all along since she so easily sided with the bastard to overthrow her.

"Bang." Reyes taunted while he fashioned a finger gun and mimicked pulling the trigger on Sloane. Esme stood beside him and watched his expression, which remained sternly impassive with a practiced detachment. Sloane clawed her hand in the direction of the Charlatan and the double-timing Pathfinder like she planned on crawling over to her gloating enemies and taking them down with her, but the loss of blood proved too great. More fatal than the bullet wound tearing through her side was her hubris, and Sloane knew that proved to be her ironic downfall. Done with Sloane's theatrics, Reyes faced Esme and she could see a raging war storming through his eyes before their heads snapped back to Sloane's still body slumped against the floor. His fingers twitched while he started reaching for Esme's hand but Reyes stopped himself with a sigh. They had much to talk about. He swallowed roughly before turning to his men, those who knew his true identity, and they snapped to attention with glee as they awaited his order.

"Get her out of here. Prepare the crew. Kadara Port is ours tonight." Reyes instructed his men and while their attentions were focused elsewhere, Reyes grasped Esme's hand and nodded toward a secluded path in the distance. Esme nodded and he released her hand, leaving her feeling conflicted. Reyes strolled off toward the path and Esme quickly decided to follow, walking in step beside him. A heavy silence fell between them with a coldness that reminded them of winter back on Earth. They waited until the voices of Reyes' men and the watchful eyes of Esme's companions vanished before daring to get closer. Esme's shoulder kept brushing against Reyes' arm and their knuckles would bump together on occasion, stroking the urge Reyes had to intertwine his fingers with Esme's. The only reason he didn't was the fear that she would reject him off the bat.

"Guess you got everything you wanted." Esme darkly remarked, and she glanced off to the side, forcing herself to look away from Reyes. God knows how well her resolve would hold underneath those amber eyes that made her feel seen beyond the title of Pathfinder. Esme felt like the fool for missing the clear signs, but she wondered how she wasn't angrier at Reyes. Above all, she was a conflicting bundle of emotions that she needed to unpack and process. Reyes physically winced when he heard the bitter undertones in Esme's voice, knowing her well enough to sense there was some hurt over the issue. Esme couldn't see how her implicit accusation acted like a dagger in his chest. He didn't want to put her in this position to choose or to find out that he knew more than he let on. Under his breath, he cursed Sloane for dragging her to the duel. Reyes knew that his and her relationship stopped being merely a mutual alliance after the Roekaar and not a minute after. He tried to keep himself in check, but he knew he was a goner the moment Esme squared up with Zia and defended what little honor he had. Reyes knew then that his heart was no longer under his control; Esme held it in her hands. Reyes tried to play it cool from then on, but he couldn't resist Esme, and thus, the kiss on the roof happened. He always knew that his secrets would catch up to him one day and ruin everything. He didn't want that day to be today.

"What I want is peace. Sloane would've brought war to Heleus. We don't have the population to survive that." Reyes explained defensively, and he needed Esme to understand his motives were not rooted in greed for power or money. His reputation would have painted him as one blinded by material things, but Reyes understood that war would only devastate the growing Milky Way colonies. Similar to how he abandoned the Nexus years before, challenging Sloane as the Charlatan was in self-interest. But this time, a greater good relied on it, the same greater good Esme sought to fight for. As they walked deeper into the isolation, Reyes' pace quickened and he started moving ahead like he didn't want to face Esme. She kept behind him with the whole world bearing down on her shoulders and her tongue feeling as heavy as a block of lead. She stopped abruptly and she stammered to get the main question she needed to know off her lips.

"Why didn't you trust me?" Esme questioned and that struck Reyes into stopping his hurried pace and lurched him into absolute stillness. Esme lingered back while she waited for an answer, appearing pained from the way her eyes studied the man who she cared for and the same man who lied to her through omission. In all honesty, Esme hardly cared that Reyes was the mysterious Charlatan vying for Kadara's power. As callous as it sounded, she saw his actions as a standard procedure of war and hardly batted her eye at his successful coup. Sloane and he both had their faults, but Reyes desired a better Kadara; Esme saw that in his eyes when they kissed on the rooftop or when they spoke about the poor conditions of those living in the slums. Esme was not blind to the fires of injustice that burned within him at the thought of Sloane's iron fist over Kadara Port. No, she was disappointed with him not trusting her enough to tell her the truth. In the past, Esme was let down by people icing her out and feeling like an outsider where she shouldn't. Reyes never made her feel that way, so she thought he was different. Reyes turned around and walked closer to her.

"I… liked the way you looked at me. I was afraid that would change." Reyes admitted and he turned away from Esme, a small inkling of shame blossoming from his tone. Esme's heart stopped and she felt speechless. Esme recalled their rooftop conversation a while back and his words replayed in her mind while she wrapped her head around his reasoning. He wanted to be someone… to her. Reyes gained enough courage to turn back and face Esme, who blinked at him. She realized that Reyes was waiting for her to say something—to say anything. Amber met emerald and for a moment, Esme's whole world stopped spinning. Deep down, Esme knew how she felt about Reyes behind all the hurt and confusion—that hadn't changed.

"Nothing's changed," Esme remarked out in a shaky breath, which startled Reyes. He secretly braced for her to scream and curse him for his deception. Hell, he even feared that he might find himself on the opposing end of her sword. But telling him nothing changed and that she still wanted him like before shocked him. Reyes started to protest, but Esme gave him a look that stopped him right in his tracks. A small part of him felt unworthy of Esme, but the way she looked at him made him want to be worthy of her. Esme cleared her throat, "I know who you are Reyes, and I… am not going to change how I see you. Everyone has secrets and you are no different." Esme stated and when Reyes stared into her eyes, he saw she was telling the truth. She bit down on her cheek and realized something her late mother told her. _To forgive is to be strong, Esme… _Reyes closed his eyes and nearly trembled when he felt the gentle press of Esme's hand against his cheek. He nearly lost her to his keeping of secrets, but she stayed with him and that didn't go unnoticed by Reyes. His eyes opened once more and he stared at Esme when he realized she removed her hand from him.

"You have bad taste in men," Reyes remarked huskily and the downright intense look he directed at Esme made all rational thought escape her. Esme wet her lips swiftly and that seemed to intensify the strength of Reyes' disarming, wicked gaze settled upon her. Esme stepped back as Reyes stepped forward until her back grazed the rocky wall of the cave. Esme gasped as Reyes invaded her space, placed his hand against the wall next to her head, and brazenly capture his lips in hers. The kiss wasn't hesitant or soft; it was shameless and needy and passionate. It swept Esme's breath away like a powerful current and dragged her underneath her own attraction until all she could think and breathe was how she needed to be close to Reyes. When Reyes pulled back for the air they both reluctantly needed, Esme leaned in close and brushed her lips against Reyes' ear. She nearly chuckled at how a small jolt twitched in his shoulders from the movement and Esme purred, making Reyes' grip on her tighten instinctually.

"The worst," Esme agreed slyly, a risqué twist to her voice that was a direct reply to Reyes' actions and sent Reyes over the edge of control. His hips brushed against hers, pinning Esme to the wall with no faltering; Reyes was through holding back with Esme. Esme's fingers ran through his hair and knotted in his dark locks, giving them a light tug to Reyes' groan. Her leg lifted up and Reyes easily slung it around his hip, pulling them even closer together to where there was no space between where she ended and he began. In the chill of the cave, their warm breath mingling seemed like an inferno. Reyes dropped his lips down her jawline and along the sensitive skin of her neck, laying a trail of needy kisses until he reached the juncture of her collarbone and neck. In one fell swoop, one of Reyes' hands pinned Esme's arms above her head and against the wall by her slender wrists. His other kept Esme's leg curled around him while his lips worked to leave a map of kisses and some hickeys formed in periods of roughness that Esme liked. Esme moaned faintly when her hips involuntarily jerked and rocked against Reyes'. Oh, Reyes would be the death of her. Esme bit down on her lower lip to keep from crying out Reyes' name for the cave around them to echo. Would she face some backlash from her crew about staying with Reyes? Yes. Did she care enough to stop? No. If anyone at the Nexus demanded she stop seeing Reyes, Esme would channel Alec and remind them that they could go pound sand.

Reyes' eyes flickered up and noted the pure helplessness written all over Esme's face and how she teetered along the edge of temptation toying with letting it all go then and there. The way her body moved underneath his grip told Reyes that Esme would bare herself before him and mirrored what he felt in his heart. But if today taught him anything, it was that Esme deserved more and he would strive to provide what she deserved. Reyes ensnared her lips into one last bruising and ravenous kiss before pulling back. Esme's eyes, which were screwed shut, fluttered back open at the loss of contact and her breathing was labored.

"Meet me at Tartarus in a few days when the smoke has cleared…" Reyes whispered to Esme and his eyes flickered down to meet hers. Reyes could see the glimmer in the bright green that he adored and even though she knows some of the horrible things he's done, the way she looks at him never changes. Reyes swallowed in relief when he realized that Esme never broke what she promised in that kiss on the rooftop. Esme wordlessly nodded and she pressed her hand against his cheek, brushing her thumb against his skin. Reyes couldn't hold himself back from pressing his lips back to hers and tumbling down blindly into Esme's embrace without fear holding him back. Everything was out in the open and Esme accepted him for who he was. Esme moaned when she tuned into Reyes' wandering hands, mapping out her curves underneath her armor determinedly. His lips against hers were hungry, rough, and Esme swore that she could lose all track of time. However, the enchantment that settled over her when Reyes claimed her lips with his own dissipated when she heard the voices of her companions growing louder. Esme groaned in disappointment, which made Reyes manage a bemused grin. He gave her a look that told her to go, but more importantly, that they would see each other again soon. Esme wrapped her arms around him and pressed a final, parting kiss to the corner of his mouth before she darted away to intercept Cora and Jaal, missing how Reyes watched her go with a smile working onto his face.


	6. The Dance

All was still on the Tempest with the crew retired for the night, and many of them tucked away in bed, sleeping the darkness away. However, one member of the crew remained alert, and she frantically paced around her quarters in a pair of high heels—their leader. Esme bit down on the inside of her cheek instead of her lip to avoid smudging her ruby red lips. She ceased her pacing for a moment for fear she would wear a hole into the ground and listened for any trace of noise. Tonight was incredibly important, and she counted down the minutes since she last was here, knowing the anticipation that built up in her thrumming heart all too well. She could not afford anything stopping her tonight.

"SAM, how are we looking?" Esme pressed her hand against the automatic doors of her quarters on the Tempest and released a shaky breath. She pretended to turn in early for the night, and her crew hardly asked questions when she feigned exhaustion. She brushed her hair back from her face and exhaled deeply, pushing out all her exhaustion. She discreetly asked Kallo for a favor to land in Kadara because she had some important business to handle. He easily complied and altered their course without the others noticing where they were landing. He landed the Tempest in Kadara Port a little over an hour ago, and Esme waited for him, along the rest of the crew, to retire to their quarters for the night. She would sneak off the ship using SAM's override protocols and meet with Reyes just like she promised days before in the dark of that cave where she drowned in him without hesitation holding either of them back.

"The coast ahead is clear, Pathfinder. You should be able to sneak out and see Mr. Vidal without alerting the crew." SAM remarked through their private channel, and Esme smiled at the all-clear mention. She could hardly contain her nervous or excited energy at the thought of seeing Reyes from how frequently she drummed her fingers against the door. She didn't want anyone from the Tempest souring her evening with some drawn-out lecture about how Reyes lied to her and couldn't be trusted or how he might lie to her again. Esme didn't care to hear it; thus, she was sneaking out of her own damn ship like some horny teenager snuck out of the house to see a significant other when their parents were sleeping.

"Prepare the ramp for docking," Esme commanded SAM, and she used her omni-tool to send the command through SAM before she opened her door. The hallway was empty, and the lights were dimmed significantly, which made Esme's goal of remaining unseen a tad easier. She made sure to primarily step on the balls of her feet to avoid making noise. She kept one hand hovering near the grip of her Sidewinder, the smallest pistol she had in her arsenal while moving through the darkened and empty ship. Esme scrambled up the later, which was her undoing last time without making a sound. She exhaled in relief and crept toward the bridge. Esme was nearly there when one of the doors in the hallway opened and out stepped Jaal, who stopped when he saw Esme.

"Ryder," Jaal greeted and surveyed Esme's attire with a blank expression. Esme nearly cursed upon pure instinct but bit down on her tongue to restrain that instinct. The last thing she needed was to alert the others, who were most likely asleep.

"Jaal…" Esme awkwardly replied in greeting and struggled with the words to say. Of all the people on the Tempest, Jaal was the one she considered closest to being her best friend with Cora not far behind. Esme ran her fingers through her loose waves and glanced at the ramp, which was already lowered to Kadara's docks. "I'm… heading out."

"I see," Jaal remarked and his eyes, intelligent beyond comprehension and filled with a near feline sense of curiosity… and dare Esme say bemusement, met hers. There was a beat of silence between them studying each other before Jaal concluded his statement by saying, "Well, stay clear. The streets of Kadara can be dangerous at night from what I heard. Luckily, your walk to Tartarus and subsequent visit to Vidal should be a reasonably short distance." Jaal mused aloud and Esme nearly choked on her own cough. She must have misheard or been hallucinating because she swore Jaal just casually encouraged her to sneak out and see Reyes as planned. It became apparent to her that Jaal was serious with his statement and Esme found herself at a loss for words, an unusual occurrence for the ordinarily witty and snarky woman.

"Wait, you're not going to lecture me about sneaking out to see Reyes?" Esme inquired, her body relaxing from the physical brace. Although the reaction was instinctual, Esme was not the type who lived according to the opinions of others. However, her connection with Reyes caused some tensions between her and her crew as they were concerned for her. But they didn't understand Reyes or know him the way Esme did. If they comprehended that fact, Esme might not consider the actions of sneaking around behind their backs. She hated lying to the people she came to view as friends, but she was left with no choice.

"No. In my culture, we learn that the heart desires what the heart desires and nothing can stop the heart. I do not seek to dissuade you or stand in your way," Jaal declared with an air of sage wisdom, and Esme managed a stunning smirk. She and the others still had plenty they could learn from Jaal and Angaran culture. Jaal shrugged nonchalantly, "Besides, Cora says you like bad boys."

"No comment," Esme chuckled, and she accepted Jaal's reasonable and surprisingly positive reaction to her sneaking out to see Reyes in stride. She adjusted the Sidewinder in the holster and pushed back her stray hairs that framed her face alluringly. Now, on to see Reyes. Jaal watched Esme descend the ramp and gave a little huff of amusement. Humans could be such strange creatures sometimes.

Esme stepped off the ramp of the Tempest and into the Kadaran night, which was surprisingly warm and slightly humid. Adjusting the pistol she slipped into her thigh holster, Esme felt prepared to trek to the slums. So, she walked across the ship dock and ignored how several of the male workers stopped working to watch her pass by without as much as a glance. With her hair down and a sexy black dress on, Esme was virtually unrecognizable to most as the Pathfinder, but she shocked all, those who recognized her and those who didn't. She swayed her hips with every step and reveled in the powerful feeling she gleaned from sauntering around in heels.

She reached the end of the docks, where she knew she could catch a lift down to the slums. Esme brushed back her hair from her eyes, which gave her a sultry and feminine mystique appearance that cultivated stares. She reached for the console to summon the lift when she noticed activity in her peripheral vision, and a human exile staggered up to her, his clumsy stumbling letting her know that he was drunk. If that didn't translate, the smell of alcohol wafting off his breath when he drew near acted as a dead giveaway to his heavily inebriated state.

"Well, aren't you the most exquisite sight in the entire damn galaxy?" The man slurred his words together to where Esme barely translated the mishmash of his statement and grinned at her, revealing their yellowed and crooked smile. Esme slightly tilted her head toward him, but her eyes remained fixed on the lift console. She pressed the buttons to summon a lift when the drunken exile put his hand on her arm with an uncomfortable grip. She narrowed her eyes at him and jerked her arm from his grasp, which seemed to anger the exile. He tried to grab onto her again, but Esme maneuvered her arm out of the way, so he missed it.

"Putting hands on me will only end up with you staring down the barrel of my pistol." Esme calmly explained to the exile, but her eyes flashed dangerously. She may look pretty, and all dolled up, but she wasn't afraid to bust a creep up with her bare fists if needed. The exile bristled at her thinly veiled threat, but he wanted this pretty little thing enough to ignore the risk.

"I'd suggest you start moving along." Another voice cut into the conversation, catching both Esme and her harasser by surprise when they faced him walking up from behind. He wore the uniform belonging to the Collective, which made the exile pale in the face. He staggered back a little when he realized that he lingered under two fierce glares: Esme's and the stranger's. The last thing the exile wanted was the Charlatan to hear word of him angering the Pathfinder, so he scurried off back in the direction of Kralla's Song. Esme huffed at the cowardly retreat but shelved her annoyance as she turned to the new addition.

"Thank you for that." Esme nodded respectfully and figured that the stranger wouldn't give her too much trouble since the newfound alliance between the Charlatan and the Pathfinder was common knowledge at this point. It had only been days since Sloane's reign of terror ended, and Reyes claimed Kadara for the Collective, but the entire area knew of the change. They also knew that the Pathfinder had some hand in the whole ordeal through rumors passed down the grapevine.

"I got strict orders from the Charlatan to take good care of you." The stranger remarked, and Esme raised her brow, seeing that the Charlatan demanded the people of Kadara treat the Pathfinder with respect and the best service available. The stranger leaned in after searching the perimeter for prying ears, "Reyes is eagerly awaiting you down in Tartarus, his usual spot." He whispered, and Esme instantly relaxed when she realized she was in the company of one of Reyes' trusted inner circle. Very few people in the Collective knew the identity of the Charlatan from what Reyes explained to her over a brief video conference they had the other night while the crew was out of the room. That same inner circle knew of Esme's continued relationship with Reyes and her role in winning Kadara Port, so she knew she was in good hands.

"Then, I won't keep him waiting," Esme remarked with the corners of her ruby red pout quirking up into a sultry smirk and tossed her hair over her shoulder. The stranger laughed, knowing how Reyes awaited Esme with bated breath. Those in his inner circle watched his professed reputation image as a Casanova on which he based his persona slowly changed since Esme entered his life. He was still a flirty personality but only had eyes for Esme compared to when he would have several interested parties flitting about him at the same time.

"Would you like an escort?" The Collective member offered to her, and Esme weighed his proposal for a moment, seeing nothing wrong with having a small escort.

"That would be quite appreciated." Esme agreed with a nod, wanting to avoid any more incidents with other drunks or belligerent members of Kadara. The last thing she wanted to do was pull her pistol because that would sour what was meant to be an enjoyable evening for her. The stranger, who still never gave Esme his name, turned to the docks and whistled. Moments later, a burly man in a Collective uniform emerged from the darkness. The second stranger walked up to Esme and glanced her over, recognizing her as the Pathfinder after a moment.

"The Pathfinder requires an escort as the Charlatan demands." The first stranger explained, and the second stranger gruffly nodded in understanding, not speaking a word. Esme figured that the newer addition wasn't aware of her relationship to Reyes or the Charlatan's identity. Therefore, she would remain discreet. The first stranger leaned over and summoned a lift to take Esme and her unofficial Collective escort down to the slums where Tartarus was. The doors to the lift opened, and Esme filtered into the small box and waited for the doors to close, staring straight ahead. The lift rumbled slightly as it descended below the upper rock layer, and soon, the lift opened to the slums. Up ahead, Esme spotted the familiar neon lights belonging to Tartarus and picked up on the faint hints of the electro-synth music the club often played. She moved forward once the lift came to a complete stop while the two Collective members flanked her sides and lingered a pace or two behind her. Esme climbed the stairs with practiced ease but made it appear that she was not hurrying up the stairs. She waited right outside the doors for her escort to catch up to her, glancing over her shoulder when they did. She basked in the neon lights and gave a coy smile to her guard, one who understood and the other who didn't but seemed to not pay much attention.

"Thank you, boys," Esme remarked with a wave over her shoulder and stepped into the upper level of Tartarus, finding her senses assaulted by the music and lights. Esme brushed through the throngs of people gathered together, and people hardly glanced her way at another person dressed for a night out. Although Esme was arguably the most eye-catching person in the whole place. She moved through the crowd and ended up in front of the back-room Reyes kept reserved for his usage. She used her omni-tool to open the doors, and she instantly spotted Reyes lounging on the settee of the room and bathed in a crimson red neon glow that made her heart thud.

Reyes' eyes landed on Esme standing seductively in the doorway and trailed down how the black, slinky dress hugged her svelte figure in all the right places. His next thought was a mixture of pride and amusement when he noticed the pistol holstered to Esme's thigh as she approached him; the weapon was such an Esme thing to do.

"That's my girl." Reyes thought to himself as Esme sauntered over to him, and the doors closed behind her, ensuring them privacy. He rose from his seat and wrapped his arms around her waist the moment she drew close enough, eliciting a smile from Esme. Her eyes, a bright emerald, shone with emotion—excitement, longing, vulnerability. Esme leaned in and hovered her lips millimeters away from his, staring at him through her dark, voluminous lashes. Reyes' eyelids lowered, and he beckoned Esme a little closer to him while he leaned back into his usual seat. Esme contemplated sitting down on his lap but chose the space next to him.

"Thought you'd be in the throne room… Tartarus is shabby for Kadara's new leader, don't you think?" Esme questioned while she sat down. Reyes handed her a drink, and she accepted it, recognizing it to be a Kadaran Sunrise. She smirked; Reyes happened to know her favorite drink at the bar and ordered it in advanced. Way to sweep a girl off her feet after a couple days away.

"Come on, Esme. You know I prefer to rule from the shadows." Reyes chuckled, and the way her name rolled off his tongue felt so right. Compared to when he called her 'Ryder,' Esme noted the way hearing her first name come from him carried a sense of intimacy.

"This is your chance to go legitimate." Esme declared, and she glanced at him, wondering how he situated to his new position of power. Did anyone have a clue that the Charlatan walked among them every day? Did they know that a 'third-rate smuggler' as Sloane saw him could flip the tables and overthrow the power structure of Kadara? She had so many questions that she wanted answered, but those were for another time. Tonight, she and Reyes would celebrate their victories: winning Kadara Port for the Nexus and each other.

"I'm not built for the spotlight. The angara you met at Sloane's party—Keema Dohrgun. She's agreed to be my front. And with Sloane gone, there's room for the Initiative on Kadara." Reyes explained, and he grabbed a Kadaran Sunrise of his own. He held his glass out to hers.

"I'll start rounding up volunteers for an outpost. Might take a while as you exiles have a reputation." Esme remarked when she clinked her glass against Reyes' in a toast. She brought the glass to her lips and tilted it back, sipping at her drink while coyly peering at Reyes over the rim of the glass. She caught his eyes and fluttered her voluminous lashes and smoky eyes at him, eliciting a grin. Esme set down the finished drink and leaned back on the seat, a ruby red smirk fixed onto her lips. Tonight was the greatest victory of all.

"Not all of us are thieves and murderers…" Reyes retorted, and his expression caught for a moment while he re-evaluated his statement when Esme raised her brow at him. "I am, but some of the others are perfectly nice."

"Perfectly," Esme gleefully teased Reyes, and she bit down on her lip to keep from laughing. Kadara was a lawless land, a perfect reincarnation of the fabled Milky Way's wild west. It was expected that people would turn to their worst sides when laws weren't in place. She likely would have done the same thing; Esme knew she was shit at following rules most of the time.

"Jokes aside, I want this outpost as much as you do. It will have my full protection; that's a promise." Reyes assured Esme, stressing his trustworthiness as much as he could. Esme tilted her head to the side and studied Reyes. She knew that she could trust the outpost would be protected. Reyes didn't have to go out of his way to gain her confidence in him; it was already there without needing to be spoken.

"I allied myself with the right man." Esme coyly declared as she reclined back and wished she had another Kadaran Sunrise, feeling the warmth associated with alcohol seeping into her stomach. It had been a while since she allowed herself some downtime at the bar. Reyes smiled at her, one that was genuine and far beyond his usual façade of bravado.

"If we're done with all the boring business talk, there is something I want to do." Reyes stated, and he rose from his seat, standing in front of her.

"You're up to something… again." Esme raised her brow at him while he fidgeted with his omni-tool, and her lips twitched with a grin threatening to break through. She waited for Reyes to explain when the sudden presence of classical jazz music filtered through the room. They sounded like the records her mother used to play when she was little, filling Esme with a sense of nostalgia ramming into her with the force of a freight train.

"I neglected you on our first date," Reyes admitted, and he held his hand out to Esme with a genuine smile and dare she say, tenderness in his eyes. With Sloane gone, the mounting stress from the constant skirmishes and planning for victory melted away. "How about we fix that?"

"I didn't know you had a romantic streak." Esme mused, and she slipped her hand in his, allowing Reyes to help her up to her feet. He guided her out of the way of the table and to the center of the room, full of space for them to move. Reyes pushed Esme as far out as he could, and with a flick of his wrist, the momentum sent Esme careening back toward him. He easily caught her in the starting position for a basic waltz, something Esme remembered from her adolescence when her mother made her and Scott do that fancy cotillion program during high school.

"There's a lot you don't know about me." Reyes murmured, his voice husky with what Esme could only assume was inklings of desire slipping through. His hand pressed into the small of her back and inched lower at what Esme thought was a glacial pace. The two swayed together in the neon red lights of the room and the surprisingly intimate embrace of the shadows. The club scene raged on outside the room, but Esme felt like Reyes transported her to another world. If Esme had stayed behind in the Milky Way, would she have met Reyes? That was a question she didn't want answered. Speaking of Reyes, tonight was proving that she didn't have him all figured out like she thought she did. There was gentleness in his movements that surprised Esme greatly; perhaps she had more to look forward to uncovering about Reyes. Reyes and Esme's foreheads brushed together while they continued to dance. "Since leaving the Nexus, my survival has depended on secrets. I don't want any more of those between us, Esme."

"You're the encrypted one." Esme pointed out, and that comment made Reyes chuckle. He chuckled again, and Esme raised her brow at him. Meanwhile, they continued to sway to the gentle music that reminded her of the old records her mother would play when she was a little girl. "What?"

"I was about to say something cheesy." Reyes explained vaguely, and Esme stared at him expectantly, knowing that he needed to tell her now that her interest was piqued.

"Say it." Esme demanded, but she had no idea how greatly she would regret that statement mere moments later.

"Consider me hacked," Reyes declared with a cheeky grin and making direct eye contact with Esme. It took a total of a second for the pun to click with Esme. Cheesy indeed described that line accurately.

"Ugh, stop talking." Esme playfully instructed, subsequently following a groan over the rather cheesy line Reyes entertained. He was one lucky asshole that she liked him so much to let such an atrocious display of humor slide. Her fingers found their way to the short hairs along the back of his neck and toyed with them while she leaned in. Reyes' eyes closed while he too leaned in. Their lips brushed for a brief second before the two pressed their foreheads together. While swaying around in a circle, Reyes mapped out the peaks and valleys of Esme's curves through the helpful choice of her attire. As beautiful and intimidating as Esme looked when wearing her armor, it made it impossible for Reyes to touch her the way he'd like.

"I'm having flashbacks to a certain cave. I blame you." Reyes whispered as he spun Esme underneath his arm and held her hand to keep her connected to him like a lifeline. He took in Esme's brilliant smile when he twirled her back under his arm, and she returned to their previous position: her chest pressed against his with no room wanting to be left between their bodies.

"As I remember you saying in that email." Esme cheekily replied, and she wet her lips. She too found herself revisiting their rendezvous in the cave but through a lens of anticipation. The feeling of Reyes' hands on her left her distracted for the time they spent apart. It was easy enough to attribute her spacey state to other things, and her crew accepted her explanations at face value. But that didn't matter anymore for Esme was there, in Reyes' arms again. The two swayed together with not a single care in the world. There were no eyes watching them, and Esme felt free to do whatever she damn well liked. The way their bodies pressed together and left no space between them spoke volumes about where they both were. The incident with Sloane might have broken other people, but Reyes and Esme were stronger than ever.

The music eventually concluded, and Reyes tugged Esme close to him while he guided her back to the couch. Reyes sat down first, and Esme slyly slid onto his lap, straddling him on the edge of the couch. Reyes chuckled huskily and glanced at Esme's sly grin, he was in a position that he quite liked.

"Now, this is a sight I'll never get used to." Reyes declared, and his fingertips traced down Esme's spine in a tantalizingly slow pace, feeling every time she shuddered under his touch. His eyes admired the dress she wore; the gown complimented Esme's svelte figure better than any pair of armor could. But the dress was a bonus to the amazing woman that was Esme Ryder.

"Oh, is that so?" Esme questioned, mirroring Reyes' escalation with a downright provocative flutter of her lashes and a short chuckle, further drawing Reyes in. His lips hovered along the stretch of her neck and dragged his teeth against the sensitive skin, drawing a breathy gasp out of her. Reyes smirked, and his hands traveled down Esme's back and dipped underneath the curve of her ass, settling her in his lap. Esme lifted his chin up with two of her fingers, and Reyes leaned in, capturing Esme's lips, which she offered him in a bruising kiss.

"Yeah, one I'll never get used to," Reyes mumbled when he pulled back from Esme, their lips still close enough to where it felt like Reyes intended to whisper against her lips. He moved his lips down her jaw and along her neck to her pulse point. Esme swallowed, and she savored the delicious pressure of Reyes' lips barraging her neck, but something stopped her from immersing herself entirely into the sensation.

"I… Reyes, I have to head back to the Nexus tomorrow evening." Esme declared abruptly, reminding herself of the unfortunate reality awaiting her when the sun rose the next morning over the Kadaran horizon. The mood dimmed after that statement, and Reyes stroked her cheek with his thumb.

"I know," Reyes replied, and the undercurrent of pre-emptive longing was felt by Reyes and Esme alike. She didn't want to go, and he didn't want her to leave. Esme only returned to him, and she was being called away by her duty, one she never chose in the first place. The two eyed each other with so much they wanted to say but contemplated if some things were better left unsaid.

"I don't want to go. I don't know when I will see you again." Esme whispered solemnly, and she wished she could postpone the trip. However, the illustrious director Tann was finding himself uncomfortable with her extended stays in Kadara and how that might paint the exiles in a more sympathetic light. Esme considered his reasoning idiotic, but she could dodge a summons for only so long. The Nexus leadership expected her to share her next move with challenging the Archon. While across the galaxy, Esme knew her heart would be left behind on Kadara until she returned. Not knowing when she would see him next made Esme the most uneasy. Things on Kadara could still be dangerous in the aftermath of the regime change from the Outcasts to the Collective, which meant Reyes was far from safe. He might be hidden behind Keema acting as his front, but anything could happen.

"Let's not think about that." Reyes instructed, and Esme met his eyes, seeing the minute sadness she felt mirrored in those brilliant amber worlds. "Right now, I say we make the most of the time we have. We wouldn't want your crew to realize that you're missing." Reyes hinted while he laid Esme back on the couch, and he perched himself between her spread legs. Esme wrapped them around his hips and beckoned him closer to her. Reyes brushed the strand of hair from Esme's face with a semblance of tenderness. Unlike before where the two were frantically speeding through the motions, Esme and Reyes were enveloped in a softness. Reyes kissed Esme with a soft beginning that gradually morphed into the fiery passion that screamed their evident chemistry. Esme threw her arms around Reyes, shunning the thought of him leaving from the back of her mind.


	7. Excess Baggage

Excess Baggage

Standing on the bridge of the Tempest, Esme watched as the ship zoomed out of Kadara's atmosphere and into the inky blackness of space. She utilized her omni-tool to lock onto the coordinates of the Nexus and ended up staring out of the window while the ship finished recharging for a hyperspeed boost. Esme hardly noticed the time pass until she glanced to her right to see Kallo was gone, likely turning in for the night. She rubbed at her eyes and figured she could get a head start with sleep.

"Pathfinder, a word?" Suvi questioned when she noticed Esme spurred from her daze and headed for the central portion of the ship. Esme stopped and turned on her heel, walking over to Suvi's console and chair. She glanced at the ship's scientific genius and nodded for Suvi to carry on since she had her attention. "We might have a problem. I was running some numbers—mass balances and such. The Tempest is carrying about seventy kilos of extra mass. I think… something's aboard that doesn't belong."

"Something… or someone. Seventy kilos is enough mass for another person." Esme theorized, and she tensed. A stowaway, although not as likely, would be a far more troubling possibility. She glanced discreetly at the weapons locker but knew that she could do without it. It probably was a souvenir that someone snuck on board or some more junk Liam requested to build with; she would guess it was harmless.

"Our internal sensors aren't getting anything, but they're not as powerful as a Pathfinder's scanner. Can you take a look?" Suvi inquired and Esme didn't see any reason not to handle it. There was no need to whip her crew into a frenzy over nothing.

"I can handle it now," Esme assured and she noticed the exhaustion written on Suvi's face, one that she spotted on the faces of her other crew. They were jet-setting across the Heleus cluster so often and they needed a decent night of sleep. She pats Suvi's shoulder, "Besides, it's late and the crew should be heading off to sleep. I can handle it solo." Esme commented and Suvi nodded, trusting Esme's capabilities to handle a small task like this on her own. Rising from her chair, Suvi stifled a yawn behind her hand.

"Alright… good night, Pathfinder." Suvi nodded and she trudged out of the bridge toward the crew's quarters. Esme waited for the automatic doors to close behind her and soaked in the silence of the bridge. Her eyes lingered on the vast expanse of the Andromeda galaxy spread out before them. There were so many questions the universe held, and it was now her responsibility to uncover them as her estranged father did before her. Dismissing the thought of Alec Ryder from her mind, Esme turned away from the view and marched off the bridge and into the interior of the ship. She had to find the source of the extra mass.

* * *

After nearly a half an hour of turning the ship upside down and failing to identify the potential cause for the excess weight Suvi picked up on her scan, Esme approached the final location on the ship she had yet to search: her quarters. She glanced around the halls for any sign of her crew before she opened her door. The doors whooshed open and Esme stepped into the doorframe, only for her jaw to drop and her eyes to widen. Sitting on her bed—with no clue how he smuggled himself on board without tripping any sensors or alarms—was none other than Reyes.

"I would remark that you look like your waiting for someone, but I am the one waiting," Reyes smirked as he rose from his seat at the edge of her bed. Esme moved out of the doorway and she stifled a gasp by replacing it with a dazzling, genuine smile. Esme hardly smiled these days but when she did, whoever witnessed it could tell they were worthy of it.

"Reyes!" Esme exclaimed and she sprinted up to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and burying her face into his chest. She felt the rumble of Reyes' chuckle rippling throughout his chest at her eager reaction to his presence. He glanced down at Esme with the faintest traces of tenderness shining through his eyes and held her in his arms. Esme's eyes flickered up for a moment and she found herself filled with a flurry of questions, "I'm not even going to ask how you managed to sneak onto my ship." Esme remarked, which earned her another chuckle from Reyes. That would be something Reyes would have to keep a secret. Esme almost considered that SAM might have helped since her AI seemed to possess a fondness for Reyes… that or he sensed her feelings for Reyes early on and steered her toward him.

"Well, it seems you are quite pleased by my presence." Reyes mused, his arm instinctively curling around Esme's svelte frame. Although he saw her the night before, the way she embraced him made him truly believe her when she said she missed him. Esme grinned up at him and resisted giving his shoulder a pointed nudge. Why wouldn't she be?

"Of course, I am! But it does beg the question: what are you doing here? I thought… we talked about how you needed to stay on Kadara to run it from the shadows." Esme questioned, recalling their previous conversation the other night. Esme was still struggling to come to terms with the idea of leaving Reyes behind on Kadara and how badly she wanted to stay longer, even with Nexus duties and leadership scrutinizing her association with the exile home. But with Reyes on the ship, that implied something important changed.

"I decided on a different course of action. Keema doesn't necessarily need me to stay on Kadara to keep me in the loop or execute my orders for what Kadara Port needs. If we are to ally with the Nexus, then I should keep informed about Nexus needs and activities." Reyes remarked and Esme was sure that reason was not why Reyes smuggled onto her ship. Or at least, she hoped it was more than just that. As if he could sense what she was thinking, Reyes cleared his throat and that meant he wanted to say more. "I suppose that I also got used to seeing you around Kadara and I might miss you," Reyes admitted with a feigned begrudging attitude, but Esme knew he was teasing her. Esme shrugged off her cherry red, leather jacket and tossed it over the chair resting by her email terminal with practiced ease. She also unfurled the scarf hanging around her neck and she threw it in the same direction of the jacket, promising herself that she would clean them up later. She slid out of her boots and neatly tucked them away to where she or Reyes wouldn't trip over them. Turning back to Reyes, Esme noticed his eyes lingering on her and that smile on his face—the same one he wore when he held out his hand for a dance.

"What has you so smiley over there?" Esme questioned when she saw the smile Reyes wore and chose a teasing inquiry to keep from blushing. The way Reyes looked at her made her feel less jaded and with the long-forgotten innocence of a schoolyard crush. But there were more than simple butterflies in the way Esme felt about Reyes; there were pride and passion and freedom and desire.

"Nothing." Reyes nonchalantly denied, but the playful, open twinkle in his eyes told a completely different story. He could hardly take his eyes off Esme, admiring the grace with which Esme moved. It was the trained prowl of a warrior with the irresistible feminine edge Esme wielded like a weapon. Esme smirked at Reyes from over her shoulder while she tugged at the neckline of her shirt.

"Pathfinder, I can deactivate for a short time to give you and Mr. Vidal some privacy." SAM chimed through Esme's head in their private channel and Esme blinked, not realizing he was there. She contemplated SAM's offer for less than five seconds before arriving at a decision. She had waited a long time to address the palpable tension lingering between her and Reyes… and Esme knew just what she and Reyes needed.

"SAM, initiate shut down protocol." Esme agreed and she heard the soft click of her room door, which could only be overridden by a password that Esme knew. No one else had been there when she established the code, which meant no one else could get in. The lights flickered and Esme turned to face Reyes, who stood behind her. She wore a smirk and fluttered her lashes at Reyes, stopping him in his tracks. Esme pressed two fingertips against Reyes' chest and walked him backward until the backs of his knees brushed against the edge of her bed, her eyes darkening as she traced up and down his body. As much as she enjoyed his usual attire, Esme knew she would like it a whole lot more when it resided in a puddle of fabric on her floor. She bit down on her lower lip and pushed with her fingers, giving Reyes enough of a shove for him to sit along the edge of her bed while Esme towered over him with lust on her lips and sin in her eyes.

"Now, what are you up to?" Reyes questioned with a grin slowly forming on his face and stared up at Esme. For her part, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. Both noticed how the lights of the room started to dim until near darkness. Then, Esme threw one leg over Reyes' legs and positioned herself where she was straddling him, and no room remained between their chests and barely between their faces. Esme fluttered her lashes at Reyes and released a soft intake of breath when Reyes' hands grabbed at the curve of her hip firmly. His fingertips seared against her skin. Esme felt dizzy with excitement and anticipation.

"Something that we both want," Esme whispered less than an inch from his lips and without prompting, Reyes closed the gap between their lips. Esme's fingers worked into his hair and gave a slight tug to it when Reyes' tongue confidently pushed through her lips. Reyes steadily assumed control as he tightened his grip on Esme and his silver tongue managed to make Esme concede her control. Reyes' hands slipped underneath the loose fabric of her top and Esme shuddered as the warmth of his calloused fingertips roamed up and down her curves. Each place he touched her tingled like his touch was comprised of electric current and Esme was starving for more of his touch everywhere. Esme gasped when Reyes gripped her hips and pulled her down to brush against him, unable to keep from rocking her hips against his. She wiggled wordlessly and Reyes accepted that as his signal to strip her shirt off. Reyes grabbed the hem of the shirt and peeled it away from Esme's body, exposing the toned abdomen and her chest—bound back by a simple bra—to the chilled air. She wouldn't be cold for long, Reyes promised. He pressed his lips to her neck to Esme's whine of pleasure slipping through her teeth.

Reyes grinned into the crook of her neck and his voice—husky and soft—sent Esme's heartbeat racing. Speaking against her skin, Reyes remarked. "If I had it my way, you wouldn't be able to get out of bed tomorrow morning." Reyes' lips ghosted over the juncture of her neck and collarbone while he carelessly tossed Esme's shirt somewhere across the room. Esme's fingers curled into his hair and she knotted them in, establishing grips for the wild ride she could sense approaching.

"Well, you have all night to make that happen." Esme declared while wetting her lips and she could feel Reyes' smirk. She resisted a squeal when Reyes flipped their positions so her back pressed into the mattress and he loomed over her with that crooked grin of his that made heat awaken in her lower abdomen. His fingers trailed down her bare stomach to the waistband of her pants and dipped inside, curling around the material as he dragged them down her hips. His eyes soaked in the sight of her athletic frame and a small, minimalist tattoo of sun and moon inked into the side of her left ribcage caught his notice; he wondered if there was any more hidden ink that he might find on Esme.

"Mmhmm…" Reyes hummed as he exposed the elastic waistband of her panties and that earned Esme a smirk that made her flush for how his eyes roamed over her skin. Without further hesitation, Reyes unceremoniously tugged her pants down the remainder of her legs before dumping the clothing in a pile at the foot of Esme's bed.

"You seem to have me at a disadvantage…" Esme coyly pointed out, sitting up to her forearms and limiting the space between her and Reyes. Reyes blinked down at her as Esme fixated her gaze on him with what he could only describe as bedroom eyes. Her voice, thick with charm and a little wild like honey, hypnotized him. Reyes stepped back and rose to a standing position, directing a wink at Esme as he started disrobing. Within a matter of minutes, Reyes striped his upper half free of his gear to reveal his toned abdomen and torso and built arms that Esme knew resided under his clothes. Esme felt her throat dry at the sight of the few but noticeable scars that stuck out against his tanned skin. On Reyes' right arm, Esme observed a tattoo inked right below the curve of his shoulder with the inscription "Anubis" and "N-503" below that. She chewed down on her lower lip when Reyes turned back to her, watching as she slipped her fingers to the band holding her brunette tresses in a ponytail. She released her hair down and it cascaded around her face and framed her flushed cheeks seductively. Pointing her foot, Esme lifted her slender leg toward Reyes and teasingly created some distance between them with her body. She stared up at Reyes through her thick lashes and bit down on her lip seductively, seeing how his eyes flashed with a desire to mirror the mutual passion Esme knew was in hers. Reyes reached out and pushed her ankle down and to the side, his sweltering gaze fixated on his lover's limited state of dress and mentally undressing what little remained.

"Lie down, Esme," Reyes commanded with an undercurrent of insistence lacing in between the lines of his clear-cut instructions. Esme was not the type to take orders blindly or without some snarky question, but she complied with Reyes' command without hesitation. Reyes sauntered to the edge of the bed and admired Esme while he decided on what he wanted to start with; he had all night after all. He murmured as he knelt at the edge of the bed, "I don't think we need these anymore." Reyes hooked his fingers into the waistband of Esme's panties and dragged them down her legs before flinging them over his shoulder nonchalantly. Esme raised her brow at him, but her teasing attitude quickly vanished when Reyes leaned in and ghosted his lips in a path down from her navel, his warm breath summoning a flurry of goosebumps rising all over her body.

Reyes pressed his lips against the juncture of her hip for a prolonged kiss, feeling Esme's breath hitch and her whole body shudder. Smirking against her skin, Reyes mapped out a diagonal path down her pelvis and dipped his head down. His eyes flickered up to Esme, watching him with bated breath. Before she realized what was happening, Reyes pressed the flat of his tongue against her and licked a deliberate stripe up from her pulsating center to her clit, through her slick and warm folds.

"R- Reyes!" Esme cried out through her heavy breathing and needy moan. Her fingers knotted into his hair with her grip acting like an anchoring lifeline. Reyes' tongue against her made her whole world spin at hyperspeed and her eyes squeezed shut as his hot breath sent warmth spreading across her whole body. Reyes barely held back as he buried his face between her slick inner folds, brushing his tongue against her pink sensitive nub to the wild, automatic bucking of Esme's hips. He plunged between her legs with a hunger Esme had never seen before. For someone with a penchant for biting sarcasm, Esme tasted oh so sweet. Esme's knuckles turned ghastly white and she opened her eyes, catching Reyes' amber eyes observing her with an animalistic edge that made Esme's cheeks burn bright red.

The blush that tinted Esme's cheeks made her look so enticing, Reyes thought as he continued his mission to live up to his codename. He supposed Esme was right after all when she insinuated about his ability to be good with words, among other things; he was often described as having a silver tongue for a reason. Reyes would whisper sweet nothings to her that she could hardly make out from how loud her pulse throbbed in her head. Esme had yet to realize the presence of Reyes' fingers approaching the mounting bundle of pleasure between her thighs until two of his fingers pushed into her without advanced notice. Esme nearly screamed in pleasure from how the addition of Reyes' fingers enhanced the sensation of her whole body felt on fire. Esme's head rolled back when Reyes' lips pressed against her again and expertly stimulated her with his fingers and tongue alike. Esme wondered if it was possible for her to melt into the duvet of her bed from how flushed she was. Reyes certainly knew what he was doing to her from the smirk he wore and the gleam in his eyes. Her breaths coming ragged, Esme allowed her eyes to flutter shut while she knotted her fingers into his hair.

Just to see how far he could bring her to the edge, Reyes cleverly crooked his two fingers buried knuckle-deep within Esme and observed as her back arched from the sheets. Esme's eyes jolted open while a spike of unadulterated pleasure exploded into her system with a hypnotizing, intoxicating control over her. She released a high-pitched whimper that pleaded for Reyes to quit toying with her. Esme saw stars, and they weren't coming from the view of the cosmic galaxies swirling outside her quarter's windows. She felt the muscles in her lower abdomen tense as the heat spread throughout her body from Reyes' precise, probing touch. Her hips were hovering off the bed and Reyes utilized that to his full advantage. Esme's hands slipped underneath her back and started fumbling with the clasp of her bra blindly, desperate to rid of herself of the last piece of clothing standing in her way. All the while, Reyes continued his ministrations with precision and focus Esme had never seen in him before. The way he touched her was bringing her to the edge faster than she realized by the intensity of her arousal between her legs.

"Reyes, I- I'm almost there…" Esme panted out with no regard for how loud she might be, lost in the sensation Reyes delivered to worry. Besides, it wasn't like the crew could get in with the encryption she used to lock the door as the Pathfinder. A girl deserved her private sanctuary…where she could do her smuggler boyfriend without her nosy crew lecturing her or getting all up in her personal business. Just before Esme was about to let go, Reyes dislodged his fingers to her disappointed, disgruntled moan. She glanced down at where he rested between her spread legs with a look that questioned why the hell Reyes stopped. Reyes chuckled at Esme's fiery impatience and kissed up her inner thigh to her navel.

"I'm not done with you yet," Reyes assured Esme, his lips ghosting her taut abdomen when he said that. His accent came a little thicker than usual and the huskiness nearly drove Esme up the wall with desire. He made his slow processional up her body until he reached the desired point he wanted to be. He flipped their bodies, so Esme straddled his lap and their faces were close, their noses brushing together. Reyes wasted no time lining up at Esme's entrance, but he waited for her agreement. Esme saw the question in his eyes and nodded, convincing Reyes to march on. In one swift movement, Reyes was inside Esme and their hips were flushed together. Esme felt her eyes roll back and she took everything that Reyes would give, feeling her body adjusting to him stretching her. His initial rhythm was slow as he was getting a feel for it, but it quickly changed to something much faster.

"Holy fuck." Esme panted out incoherently between heavy breaths. She heard about hook-ups so good that the world around you felt like it was spinning, but she never experienced that sensation before this moment. Somehow, Reyes knew precisely how to push her buttons to make her compliant and melt under his touch. His kisses against her skin were searing like flame and Esme felt the slight sheen of sweat start to break out across her body from the pure exertion of her tousle between the sheets.

"What? Does that feel good?" Reyes questioned smugly and noted how Esme bit down on her lip and nodded her head fervently. Her eyes were screwed shut and she released a shaky breath; shit, she was like putty in his hands. It had been too long since she had someone between the sheets and much longer since someone made her feel so satisfied. He stuttered his hips intentionally to make Esme squeak and bury her grip into his back and shoulders. The wolfish smirk that overtook Reyes' lips spoke volumes about how much he liked hearing Esme. "Then, use your words, mi Reina." He all but commanded and Esme, happy to comply, released a needy moan from the back of her throat. The sound made Reyes snap into overdrive and he surged forward with a renewed sense of urgency and energy. Esme gripped onto him by his shoulder and digging her nails into his back for dear life. Reyes thrust into her with every ounce of energy he had and Esme, who was already near the edge, needed very little to prompt her into taking a tumble off the ledge of control.

"Reyes! Fuck!" Esme wailed against Reyes' shoulder, which she buried her face into to muffle her vocal responses, and a lascivious moan eclipsed her ability to form words. She clenched around Reyes and allowed the aftershocks of her finish overwhelm her body. Her eyes closed and she felt her thighs trembling as she steadily came down from her high. With her eyes closed, Esme missed how Reyes' eyes studied her face and how thoroughly enamored he was with her. To Reyes, Esme is still the most breathtaking woman even while slightly sweaty, panting, and her brunette tresses tousled from wild sex. Her emerald eyes were practically glowing in the darkened room where only the faint light of the outside peering in through the window illuminated the two. In the silence of the night, Reyes and Esme clung to each other like their lives depended on it. Secrets and skin bared before each other and the hedonistic desires of their hearts revealed from the shroud of mystery.

"Mmm…" Reyes commented while surveyed the thoroughly wrecked state of the woman he fell for in Esme Ryder. One thing was certain: she always gave as good as she got. She worked to regain her breath while Reyes gently dislodged his hips from hers and helped to lay her on the bed. At the loss of contact and Esme realizing that Reyes' hadn't finished, her eyes snapped open. She rose onto her knees and stopped Reyes from leaving the bed.

"I don't know where you think you're going. I promised all night." Esme purred and she placed her hand on Reyes' chest. Her eyes flickered down to his hips with an idea formulating and Reyes could see it through the twinkle in her eyes. He laid back with a grin, content with letting Esme take control.

* * *

The next morning, most of the crew was eating breakfast in the Tempest's galley and somehow squeezed in at one time. They were all chatting about the next team movie night planned when Vetra finally decided to address the elephant in the room—their missing leader. Normally, Esme would be the first to breakfast and she proudly counted herself among the early risers on the ship with Cora, Jaal, and Kallo. However, Esme was nowhere to be seen and it was way past her usual sleeping in schedule.

"Has anyone seen Ryder?" Vetra questioned and that prompted a chorus of nearly unanimous denials from the crew. Once Vetra mentioned the subject of Esme, the whole team realized that she was notably absent from the morning.

"No." Liam shook his head and out of the group, he appeared the most visibly concerned. He exchanged looks with Cora, who also seemed quite concerned.

"Not since yesterday." Jaal chimed in, in between sampling coffee. Esme convinced him to try the liquid that she described as 'the life force for humans,' albeit in her characteristic sarcastic manner. With each shake of a head or some variation of 'no,' the crew collectively grew more nervous and they wondered where Esme could possibly be. They knew that she returned on the ship from Kadara before they headed back to the Nexus.

"I talked to her yesterday evening about me noticing some additional weight on the Tempest. Pathfinder Ryder promised she would check it out, but it was late. I assume she just went to sleep and she's probably still sleeping." Suvi remarked and at that moment, the doors to the galley opened and Reyes walked in—shirtless and with his black locks askew from his tryst with Ryder between the sheets. He strolled into the galley and grabbed at some of the food cooked in two plates, one for him and one for Esme. He didn't acknowledge the stares of the Tempest crew as he efficiently moved around the limited space of the galley. Those who hadn't seen him before were confused and those who had were seeing much more of Reyes than they were accustomed to, from his lack of shirt to his tattoo to his nonchalant attitude to their shocked reactions. Cora jolted out of her seat and was about to question how he smuggled onto her ship and give her one good reason she shouldn't throw him off the Tempest when the doors opened again.

"There you are…" Esme purred at the sight of Reyes and he grinned at her, leaning against the countertop. Esme sashayed closer to Reyes when she found herself the center of attention under her crew's stares and Peebee gasped. Esme wore a pair of black shorts and a loose tank top, which was unusual but not the reason they were shocked. When Esme brushed her loose brunette waves back into a low ponytail, her crew caught sight of a red-purple mark on her neck that was obscured by her hair moments before. Liam angrily slammed his fork down at the sight of the hickey on Esme and the others stammered when they saw it. Gradually, the crew assembled the clues laid in the view before them of Esme and Reyes minimally dressed and disheveled beyond belief. Most of them had no clue what even to say.

"Good morning, Ryder. I hope that your evening with your new mate went well." Jaal kindly remarked and everyone around the table gawked at the unabashed, open acknowledgment of Esme's tryst with the man recently unmasked as the Charlatan. Esme nearly blushed the color of her favorite shade of lipstick, but quickly composed her face to betray nothing. The asshole instinct in her deeply desired to answer back that she had a fantastic night, but that might induce a heart attack at best.

"Jaal, don't," Liam grumbled bitterly and his eyes narrowed when he caught Reyes' eyes lingering on Esme's ass with the ghost of a smile pulling at his lips. He didn't understand why Esme was so insistent on trusting a guy like Reyes after he lied to her about being the Charlatan. Reyes turned his attention away from Esme for a split second to observe the glares fixated on him by most of her crew, to which he reacted with his most charming grin. His eyes flickered back to Esme, sauntering back to him with one mug of coffee in her hand held out. Reyes accepted the coffee with a nod of his head and a cheeky wink directed at Esme. Esme's cheeks blushed, even after the many winks Reyes sent her way before. She turned around to grab her mug of coffee and made sure to sway her hips with each step, knowing that Reyes' grin grew at the sight.

"What? It is obvious that Esme is quite taken with the smuggler. Such a big step taken indicates the close emotional bond they share." Jaal reasoned with Liam, uncertain why Liam could not his bitterness over Esme go. Reyes perked up at Jaal's words and discreetly glanced at Esme for confirmation of her teammate's words. Before it disappeared, Esme's eyes flashed with some acknowledgment of Jaal's statement. Ah, so it was true?

"Thank you, Jaal." Esme smoothly interjected and she brushed off Reyes' quiet smirk. His eyes were glimmering with victory at the spoken confirmation that Esme was smitten with him. He felt the same way about her, but it was fun to rib at her a little.

"Ryder, I was unaware that you and Reyes had reconciled." Cora declared on behalf of the table, awkwardly fidgeting when recalling a conversation she had with Liam and Vetra the other day about her relief of Reyes no longer being in the picture. From the way Esme didn't mention Reyes' name after the whole debacle, Cora and the others assumed that she ended the relationship. But here Reyes stood, half-naked with painfully obvious sex hair and acting like him being there was no big deal.

"We never stopped being together." Esme supplied as she sipped at her coffee as did Reyes. He glanced at the crew where some of them were curiously studying him like Jaal and Peebee while others like Vetra and Liam were glaring at him. Esme reached her free hand out to him and Reyes took it, lacing their fingers together.

"Do you think this is a good idea? What would your father say?" Cora reasoned and she shot an untrusting glance in Reyes' direction. She and Esme were friends, but she still couldn't trust Reyes after the whole Charlatan business left a bad taste in the crew's mouth. Esme picked up on some of the others nodding, but they wanted Esme to understand that they were only looking out for her best interest… and that likely didn't include Reyes. "Besides, where will he stay on the ship since the crew quarters are full?" Cora questioned, hoping Esme might see that this was not the wisest course of action. Esme sipped at her coffee wordlessly for a second, but the anger was evident from the way she gripped the mug's handle until her knuckles turned white.

"He's staying. He can share my room." Esme remarked firmly and she turned to face her crew, allowing them to see the deadly calm gleam in her eyes. That spoke volumes and relayed a clear message about her decision: there would be no debate about Reyes' place on the Tempest. Her eyes narrowed before relaxing as she gulped down the remainder of her coffee. She roughly set the mug back onto the counter beside her and she faced Cora exclusively. "As for what Alec would say, it doesn't matter. It would be hypocritical bullshit anyways." Esme scoffed before she linked her arm with Reyes' and walked out of the galley without another word, dragging a grinning Reyes along with her. Whatever her crew's opinions on Reyes, they would have to swallow their pride because Reyes was with her for the long haul.


	8. Esme vs The Archon

Esme vs. the Archon

Standing on the bridge in the Pathfinder's spot, Reyes Vidal understood why the job could appeal to Esme's wild, wandering soul from the expansive view of stars stretched out before him. The Heleus Cluster was at her fingertips, and Esme was the kind of woman who could get anything she wanted. He glanced at Kallo and Suvi, as he learned their names were, but they seemed unfazed by his presence on the ship. Over the last couple of weeks, Reyes made it clear with his continued movements around the ship that he was staying and getting comfortable. Some of the crew were learning to adjust alright to having the Charlatan on board while others were less than thrilled. But, at the end of the day, the only opinion that mattered to Reyes was Esme's.

Suvi and Kallo were managing communications with Esme, Cora, and Jaal on a dangerous mission to infiltrate and steal from the Archon, the Kett leader responsible for the Exaltation of the Angaran people. With his ties to Angaran Resistance, Reyes knew a decent amount on the war of the Kett. Of the current mission, he recalled it required a stealthy infiltration onto the mothership by Esme and her small team. Suvi and Kallo were monitoring the mission progress in real-time and Reyes, curious as to the operational affairs on the Tempest, decided to sit in on the mission.

**_"-Ryder, caution!"_** SAM warned, but the AI cut off and Esme's pained gasp crackled over the comms, startling the adrenaline inside of Reyes. His eyes focused outside at the Kett mothership in the distance with a spike in concern.

_"Some kind of- immobilizing field." Esme's_ voice crackled through the sudden onset of static, and she seemed less afraid than downright pissed. The audio faded in and out between the crackles of the static white noise. In brief periods of clarity, the comms picked up on a dark and garbled voice that the crew recognized as the Archon. They only heard broken bits and pieces of what he was saying, but his tone indicated a taunt directed for the trapped Pathfinder and her crew. Esme, never one to take an insult lying down, clicked her tongue disapprovingly and mocked, "_Am I, a nosy human, ruining all your grand plans, you ugly..." _

_"Hey, back off, asshole!"_ Cora's distinctive growl pierced through the static, and those on the Tempest could only assume she was sneering at the Archon for getting too close to Esme. Reyes' fingers twitched to where his blaster typically rested around his hip to remember that he was unarmed and stuck behind on the Tempest.

"I can't get it to clear up." Suvi articulated to Kallo and Reyes, which caused some panic in Reyes. His eyes settled on the escape pods where Peebee resided, contemplating a return to his smuggler routes by hijacking one and flying it solo onto the Kett mothership.

_"Save your strength, human."_ The Archon ominously warned Esme, and an alarm rang out in the background of the comm. The guttural growl of The Archon set the hair of those back on the Tempest on edge.

_"Raeka must have run into trouble,"_ Jaal commented and reminded everyone involved that there were others in need of rescue as well. The mission was quickly falling to shambles.

_"We have her beat. SAM, what can you tell me?"_ Esme questioned, pointedly focused on the pressing obstacle ahead of them—rescuing Raeka would come later.

**_"I'm sensing a biological transmitter in your bloodstream now. Attempting to neutralize it."_** SAM informed, which caught Suvi's attention. She would pass that information along to Lexi at once and request that a thorough examination and potential extraction of the transmitter be done.

_"Okay, that's priority two for sure. Any ideas on how to break out of this?" _Esme questioned, likely speaking to Cora, Jaal, and SAM.

**_"The containment fields only interact with living matter. If you expire, the field around you will extinguish until manually reset. As you know, my access to your physiology allows me to enhance your vital signals when required. I can also do the opposite."_** SAM explained and Suvi, unable to help herself, gasped in horrified shock. There was no way that Ryder would go through with such a risky plan, even for Esme's risk-taking personality. When the words clicked in Reyes' mind, he nearly gagged at the suggestion and felt deeply unsettled. His mind, which was racing before, quieted while he waited for Esme to respond.

"SAM, please tell me you have something more than a half-cocked, risky suicide plan," Esme remarked, sounding in control. But Reyes knew better. His memory flashed back to the cave on Kadara after his revelation that he was the Charlatan and how Esme's voice—trying so hard to maintain bravado—was masking hurt and fear. She was afraid but would rather die than show it.

**_"After stopping your heart, I would attempt to resuscitate, of course,"_** SAM commented and somehow sounded sincere for an AI system. Reyes waited for the immediate protests to the idea, but there weren't any, and his tongue stopped working when he needed it most.

_"Are there any other options?"_ Esme asked with a quiet tone that showed she already knew the answer would be a no. The tense silence transferred through the comm lines and stifled the bridge on the Tempest in dread. Reyes could see Esme's face in his mind, her eyes swirling with mixed emotions but steeled in determination. Once Esme made up her mind, no force in the universe could go about changing her opinion. And Reyes? He already knew what she would say before the words left her lips, "Alright, let's do it."

**_"Stopping your heart now…"_** SAM declared, and the feed sharply cut out as Esme's vitals flatlined. Reyes knew Suvi and Kallo were frantically talking and trying to re-establish the connection back to SAM, but the words coming out of their mouths were muted. His heart roared in his ears and he firmly gripped at the bridge, willing his legs to stay strong. He refused to believe that this was how it ended because that would never be how Esme would go. Esme Ryder, the girl who escaped death before, wouldn't submit this time around and Reyes had to believe that. One minute passed, and every second threatened to crush Reyes underneath the weight of his fear. His knuckles paled from how tightly he gripped the railing. He wanted to scream or say something, but his tongue was as heavy as a block of lead, rendering him speechless. Another minute ticked by. He thought he was afraid as a kid alone on the streets of Chile or during pilot training… but that was nothing compared to how much he feared for Esme, the woman he loved.

Around the four-minute mark, through the emptiness of the comm, static erupted, and a gulping gasp followed right behind it. Esme's vitals burst back to life and Reyes nearly collapsed from sheer relief. His heart threatened to burst straight out of his chest and he keeled over, trying to catch his wavering breathing. By no means was Reyes a religious man, but at that moment, he bowed his head and sent a silent thank you to whoever or whatever delivered Esme from death. It might've been God, SAM, or Esme's determined tenacity to survive.

"Let's not do that again," Esme coughed, her voice strained and weak, but a tiny inkling of teasing levity swirled around in there. There was Esme, sarcastic and bold. He noticed that Kallo and Suvi were sneaking glances at him, clearly expecting him to say something. Hearing Esme back online restored the rug back underneath his feet.

"Indeed Ryder," Reyes interjected, making himself known. He didn't know if Esme was aware of his presence on the bridge before, but she certainly was now. Esme knew that Reyes witnessed her die. The only thing he hoped was that she would understand how he would never want to see such a thing again. "You're not allowed to have all the fun without me." Reyes smoothly declared, but the joking tone he aimed for fell short with the waiver in his voice. He couldn't hide his relief if he tried from the way it glowed in his eyes.

On the other side of the line, Esme can hear the nervousness that Reyes tried so desperately to hide and that makes her heart pound a little faster. She imagined his eyes in front of her and how much she desired to be in his arms, the beat of his heart promising to assure her that she was indeed alive.

"We'll be back soon. We still have to escape this place." Cora reminded, bringing the focus back onto the mission, and the trio continued their mission in the field. Even though Reyes knew Esme was safe, he still opted to wait on the bridge and listen to the sound of her continuing feed echoing back to him.

Once the Tempest crew had gotten wind of what occurred, they all awaited the return of the mission team to see Esme for their own two eyes. In front, Reyes waited and ignored the attempts of the others to push before him. The ramp lowered, and Reyes waited until he saw Esme helped up by Jaal and Cora with their bodies tucked underneath her arms and shoulders. Esme lifted her head up when trying to temper nausea filling her chest, and the sight of Reyes entering her line of vision quelled all the aching and pain. She broke free of Cora and Jaal's arms and raced toward Reyes, ignoring her companion's cries of concern. Reyes ran toward her, and the two met in the middle, his arms encircling around her. Esme buried her face in his chest and inhaled his scent, feeling tears spring in her eyes. Reyes presses his lips in her hair, and he felt his heartbeat accelerate now that he held Esme in his arms again after the whole ordeal.

"Mi alma," Reyes whispered, and he felt Esme's shoulders tremble, making him pull her even closer to him. They stood together and nothing else mattered to Esme. She died today, and the last thing she saw before succumbing to the blackness was Reyes' face. She couldn't look in his eyes because she remembered that he was there on the bridge, and she couldn't hear how her lapse with death hurt him. "You can't scare me like that."

"I'm sorry," Esme apologized feebly to his half-hearted scolding, knowing she scared Reyes back when she heard his voice through the feed between the mission team and the Tempest. Reyes sighed, realizing he felt guilty, and the last thing he wanted to do was add extra stress on Esme after she fucking died.

"I know you were only doing what you had to. But I thought I lost you." Reyes responded and he glanced over at the crew staring at him and Esme in awe. He understood their shock, after all. The story that the team likely saw was the passionate, fiery displays of intimacy that were showy but could fizzle out. They probably considered Reyes an object of Esme's infatuation rather than affection, especially after the stunt they pulled during his first morning on the ship. They weren't there during the tender moments when Reyes held Esme in bed or where the two shared secrets with the ease that they shared skin. Watching them with a keen eye, Jaal realized that Esme and Reyes were going to last.

"We must get you checked out, and then, I'll bring you to bed," Reyes instructed quietly, still holding her in his arms with a small part of him afraid she'll disappear if he let go. He noticed Jaal and Suvi silently ushering the rest of the crew, except for Dr. T'Perro, out of the way to give Reyes some privacy. Dr. T'Perro silently watched on but averted her eyes in respect for their privacy; she should prepare the lab for some tests. Her footfalls fading away nudged Esme out of her reclusive state and showed the fear in her eyes, not wanting her crew to see that she was afraid of standing at the edge of the brink. Hell, she knowingly backflipped off the edge and was fucking lucky that SAM revived her.

"Stay with me?" Esme inquired while she clung to Reyes with all her strength, which was not much. Exhaustion long conquered her, but she saw no reason to share that with her already worried crew. However, one look into her eyes by Reyes, and Esme knew she would be exposed. He knew her better than anyone else on this ship.

"You never need to ask. I promised that I was here for the long haul." Reyes whispered back to her, his lips brushing her ear while he lifted her up. Usually, Esme would protest to such a gesture… but today was one of the different circumstances. Nestled in Reyes's arms, Esme knew she was safe.

The two walked down to the medical bay in silence, only interrupted by Reyes' occasional affirmations to relax Esme. When reaching the med bay, Lexi observed the two of them as Reyes set Esme down on one of the examination pods.

"This should only take a moment," Dr. T'Perro assured Esme, who clutched Reyes' hand to anchor her to reality and remind her that she really did make it out of the Archon's trap with her life. Esme closed her eyes and exhaled smoothly, letting Lexi examine her without much fuss. It was determined that, other than her racing heartrate, Esme sustained no major physical injuries or impairments from her daring risk with SAM cutting her life functions. With Lexi's permission, Reyes escorted Esme back to her chambers—and by escorted, he carried her in his arms while her whole body wrapped around his torso. Her head rested against his shoulder and Reyes hardly minded her quietness; she survived something that would have stopped a lesser man. Reyes' heavy footsteps were the only noise in the empty halls as he walked through the Tempest.

Reyes stood outside Esme's Pathfinder quarters and the doors automatically opened, SAM programming him as the only person beside Esme who could override the controls to the room. He stepped across the threshold and when he arrived at the edge of the bed, Esme reluctantly released her hold and lowered herself back onto the ground. Her eyes were firmly fixed onto the floor and she made a move to lay down, but Reyes kept her in place.

"Esme, mi alma, we need to get you out of your armor." Reyes gently reminded, his typically light and teasing tone taking on something protective. His disposition tended to play things cool and keep an impenetrable façade at all times, even with those he considered friends. But Esme was the exception to that rule. She tumbled into his life by a strange twist of fate and they ended up compromising each other without intending to. He walked to the edge of the bed and set her down, so she was sitting upright.

"I don't know if- I'm not sure if I-" Esme abruptly cut herself off and clenched her jaw, seemingly frustrated with herself. She never needed anyone; that is the lesson she carried with her throughout her service in the Alliance military and considered herself independent. She never felt so helpless before and it was driving her insane.

"I can do it. Don't worry about anything; I will take care of you." Reyes assured Esme and his certainty set her at some level of ease. She did her best to strip off her armor but kept spacing out midway through and drowned in her own thoughts. Reyes, clearly noticing this, started working Esme's armor off piece by piece while keeping her anchored.

Once Esme was rid of her armor, Reyes gently coaxed her to bed and pulled her into his arms. Esme's body sprawled out on top of him and she laid her head down on his chest. Esme closed her eyes, breathing in Reyes' scent and using the consistent rhythm of his heartbeat to soothe her. Reyes' hand brushed across the back of her head, stroking her hair. The two existed in the stillness for a minute; the stars swirling outside the Tempest in a mesmerizing manner that painted a peaceful scene despite the war with the Kett going on out of sight.

"Reyes, I am sorry-" Esme started and Reyes wondered what caused Esme to be so apologetic to him of all people. Such overwhelming guilt was out of character for the typically confident woman he knew. She took a risk that paid off, which meant there was nothing she needed to be sorry for. But then he remembered, buried in the half-asleep of their late-night talks when Esme cried to him about losing the people she loved most and watching them die. She spoke of her mother on her deathbed, but her estranged father too and his selfless act to save her instead. He understood what Esme was genuinely apologizing for: she was sorry for making him a witness to her death.

"Esme, I am glad you're safe. Don't apologize." Reyes promised and Esme relaxed; his interruption of an apology unneeded easing her guilt. She was here, that was all that mattered. Esme yawned, and when Reyes resumed the stroking of her hair, she didn't fight against the wave of sleep washing over her. Reyes noticed the evening out of her breath and tilted his head to catch a glimpse of her sleeping face.

A small chuckle escaped him as he stared at her fondly, admiring the soft part of her lips and the peaceful expression on her face. So rarely when she was awake did she seem at peace; it appeared that sleep changed that. Lying his head back, he sighed and decided to count his blessings. There were too many times he took things for granted since coming to Andromeda like his time on Earth taught him nothing.

Esme was still there, and so was he.


End file.
